Ok, so I've decided to start highlighting some of my favorite authors and illustrators on the blog. This is a way for me to take a little nostalgic stroll down memory lane and remember what makes the Greats great. And who knows, maybe someone will see this and find a new book to read. So here goes!
Author/Illustrator #1 is James Marshall, perhaps my favorite of all time. Hilariously funny, smart, and gloriously silly all at the same time. Marshall's work is dry, dry, dry. He never spells out the jokes or makes a big show, which makes his work that much funnier. Marshall is also the patron saint to those late-bloomers (i.e., me) who came to children's book illustration a little late and a little lacking in art training. But what he might lack in technique, Marshall more than makes up for with clever storytelling, inventive character design, and subtle humor. His classics include "George & Marsha", the "Stupids" series, and "Miss Nelson is Missing". None should be missed
I sometimes wonder if James Marshall could be published today, with the rough art and smudgy look to his books. For all our sakes, I sure hope so.
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