"No," answered the lady. "I have no information about a crocodile wearing a red scarf."

Tuesday, September 1, 2009


Yikes! Has it almost been a month since we last? Time is marching on, so are projects and unpacking and assembling and painting. Everything is still in brilliant boxy shambles over here (at least the art desks are set up) but nothing nice enough to post yet. The book projects are chugging along too. Since everything is either secret or messy, I will post my current picture book inspirations (and a picture of Seri honestly sleeping on some of them!)


I was stuck on a few spreads, so I was compelled to make a run to Curious George for a badly needed picture book fix with Jess last week. I was especially looking for ones I hadn't read since I was small, like Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile. When you crack open a book you haven't looked at since age 7, it's like time travel. Remember how it felt to literally be a part of the story as the pages turned? Renewing this feeling and keeping it with me as I work helps me along on my own books. So here are some of my recent jump-starters:


Bernard Waber, and his Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile (*blog title quote, picture)
Tomi Ungerer, especially in Crictor
Marc Simont à la The Philharmonic Gets Dressed
Ludwig Bemelmans the great and his lovely Madeline
M. Sasek in his This Is (Ireland, New York, London...) books

...back to the classics. Oh and I have just found this new little dress. It also seems to time travel a bit.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

ah, such good choices! especially the simont selection, but i digress...

do you think seri has become a serious reader from spending so much time with you? or he was born with an affinity for books? i guess we'll never know...

Mai Kemble said...

Hi Julia,
I saw your work on the Kidshannon website/Chad Beckerman's blog comments. :) Lovely art!!!

I immediately thought of Crictor and was going to comment that I bet you'd love it and haha, there you are posting it!
you have excellent taste! :)

www.juliadenos.com said...

jess-i think seri missed his calling as a librarian. but librarian cats would get into trouble if they napped at the circulation desk, so maybe it's a good thing...but now i digress...

mai-thank you! Crictor is the GREATEST, right?

Aimee said...

I love The Philharmonic Gets Dressed! I gave it to one of my music profs for her birthday. :)

www.juliadenos.com said...

Yeah Aimee! it is one of the greatest of all time. The combo of Kuskin and Simont = perfection!

Nina Crittenden said...

Cute dress! The Richard Scarry books always take me back... especially the chocolate cake in Goodnight Little Bear.

www.juliadenos.com said...

Yeah Nina. Isn't it funny how tiny details stick out from childhood? I remember chocolate cake too, but from the book, "Snow Country" which I can't find anywhere. and yes! Richard Scarry!

Anthony VanArsdale said...

Hey! glad to see you added 'upcoming titles' to the sidebar... nice! can't wait to see them!

thea said...

Oooh yes!! Such inspiring picks!

I love lyle, and that red scarf, well so very stylish a crocodile isn't he??
FABULOUS BLOG!!

thea.
xx

www.forthevisionaries.tumblr.com

anne said...

i'm w/ you on Ungerer ~ have you ever seen this gem, ALLUMETTE? i have a copy i can show you sometime : ))
http://www.librarything.com/work/2164796

m said...

Hi Julia! Your mom showed me your lovely illustrations for the Tim McGraw book -- I told her ever since I had you in class, I knew you'd do great things. And I so clearly remember the puddle book you wrote in Writers' Workshop. It's so inspiring for me to see what you've done. Megumi Yamamoto