mousetales

a must read if you love books

pixie stix kids pix

Wow, just discovered pixie stix kids pix blog and this brilliant post!

have things changed this much?

Every year - even if I don't have an entry -  I look forward to the announcement of the illustrators selected for inclusion in the Bologna Children's Book Fair.  Since I wasn't able to make the trip this year I hopped over to the official website to remind myself what I was missing and I have to say,  I was surprised.  Maybe even disappointed.  No, I'll come right out and say it.  I was disappointed.  And sad.

There's no doubt that all the selected artists are incredibly talented and their illuctrations are quite successful but many of the images just don't seem suitable for children's books.  I suppose if we included covers for YA's then,  yes, but where were the usual touching but fun and lovable images?  Where were the stories? Have things changed so much that kids don't deserve books that have the power to remain fondly in memories for decades?  Perhaps the jury members were trying just a bit too hard to push the boundaries and have forgotten what it was like to be child.

Sure, kids grow up so much faster than we did but  don't they still need some warm, magical childhood moments.  Who among us who were lucky enough to have books as children doesn't smile when they think of Huckleberry Cat and Lowly Worm, Ramona the Pest, Where the Wild Things Are, The Story of Ping, Eloise, Babar, or Peter Rabbit.  Where were the new Rackhams, Wyeths, Greenaways, Caldecotts, Carles, Clooneys or Annos? I simply didn't see any of these in most of the chosen art.  Most pieces looked far too editorial and cold; too much digital manipulation and not enough heart. Now that I think about it quite a few of the images were so chilly as to be rather devoid of emotion.  There was only a very few that I would have liked to climb into; there were certainly no BusyTowns, fields of lupines, or intriguing jumbley jelly cupboards to wander through.

If ever children needed safe places to explore it would be now.  So where are they?  Wistfully I didn't see many represented in this year's Illustrators Exhibition.

* Just to be clear... I didn't have an entry in this years competition.  And I have followed the fair for years.  Proof?  All the Annuals and memorabilia lining my many bookshelves :0)  

**I'm not posting any of the images here due to copyright  law and respect for the artists but i do hope you will take a look here and share your reactions.

daphne

Daphne will appearing in my etsy shop in just a few minutes!

She's there now :0)  Click here to see her info!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone :0)

new bear tomorrow

A new little bear will be in the shop tomorrow!  I'll post her photo here as well.  See you then :0)

update! bears listed

Dulcie and Ping have just been listed on Etsy. 

You can find them here in my tiny bear shop.

And don't forget to take a glance at the drawing winners in the post below :0)

at long last... the winners!

At long last I have the names of the give-a-way winners!

Ulla's new mummy is Tatjana!

Two prints of her choice will be going to Di :0)

And Heather will be receiving a little surprise package.

Many thanks to all who entered and have waited ever so patiently.  I didn't intend to be gone so long but work has a way of piling up here.  I promise to do better next time.

Tatjana, Heather and Di, please do email me (dearrosieposie@yahoo.com) with your mailing addresses so that I can ship your little bundles!

I'll also be putting two new little bears into the Etsy shop sometime after 7:00 PM EST this evening.  So if you liked Ulla perhaps you will jump over here and take a look at Ping and Dulcie.  They'd love it if you stopped by to say hello and I would too.