#blair lent

[thesandpiper]

The Funny Little Woman

Arlene Mosel/Blair Lent

1972

[thesandpiper]

Tikki Tikki Tembo

Arlene Mosel/Blair Lent

1968

[beeslibrarylist]

Picture Book in Brief: Why the Sun and the Moon Live in the Sky

Why the Sun and the Moon Live in the Sky Written by Elphinstone Dayrell. Illustrated by Blair Lent.

Publishing Information:

Published by Houghton Mifflin Company, 1968. Paperback dimensions measure 8.81 x 0.11 x 9 inches.

Awards Won:

A Caldecott Honor Book.

Story or Concept Theme:

A folktale detailing why the sun and moon are in the sky.

Target Audience/Age:

4-7 years.

Narrative Plot

The Sun asks the Water why he never visits his house. The Water says that the Sun’s house is too small, and he has so many people that they would force the Sun out. The Sun and his wife, the Moon, build a bigger house and invite the Water to visit, but just as he predicted, the house is too small, and the Sun and Moon are forced out into the sky, where they stayed.

Coherence/relation between text + visual pictures:

The illustrations expand on what is being told on each page, which is doable, because the text is so simplified. The illustrations are bold and graphic, with strong lines and plenty of detail. They’re really engaging, and the limited color palette do a great job of setting up the dichotomy between the Water and the Sun and Moon. 

Storytelling techniques used:

The language used in this story is really straightforward, only saying what it needs to without adding extra details. It uses personification effectively to embody the vastness of the oceans.

Physical structure/design:

Physical copy has 32 pages. The text is set in a serif font, and is either on the facing page from the image, or above it. There are 8 two-page spreads.

Brief assessment of the book's quality:

This book is straightforward, and as I see it, a lot of its appeal lies in the options available for accompanying crafts or activities. It’s fine on its own, but really stands out as a jumping-off point.

Brief assessment of potential use of book with young readers, if applicable:

I could see this being used in a storytime or classroom setting. It’s a quick read, and as I mentioned above, there are so many options for potential accompanying crafts and activities, which really makes it a strong choice for programming.

Brief assessment of the book's appeal to potential readers:

I’m not sure if this would be a child’s first choice, only because the color palate is so limited, I can see it appealing to caregivers who want their children to develop an interest in world international folklore, or who want to introduce children to a variety of art styles. I can also see it appealing to children who are inquisitive or very into fantasy.

[findlight]

Illustration from The Little Match Girl by Hans Christian Andersen and Blair Lent

[doubtsandloves]

Blair Lent - Illustrations from The Little Match Girl

via

[findlight]

Illustration from The Little Match Girl by Hans Christian Andersen and Blair Lent

[taf-art]

Illustration from The Little Match Girl (1968). Blair Lent.

Continuing the trend of art I've a more personal connection to, here's an illustration from one of my favorite stories by an artist from my hometown, Blair Lent, who illustrated books like Tikki Tikki Tembo. He passed away a few years ago and works from his estate are sold at the antique market next to my apartment, so I recently purchased a woodcut he made of the old Boston city hall. I love it because of the local history and because he is one of my favorite illustrators (I'm a children's librarian, so I spend a lot of time thinking about picture books, haha). I'm having that work framed, so I thought I'd post another piece of his I liked today.

[ohsamiam]

Ernest Small, Baba Yaga (1966) Illustrations by Blair Lent. Ernest Small was a pseudonym for Blair Lent.