Charles Santore (1935–2019)

This is a poem made into a story with illustrations. Thinking in terms of the lowly camel who is over burdened with packs of heavy bags attached to his back, but, and the author notes, he has to sleep in the dessert, cold by nigh and hot by day.

While birds have crackers, and poodles each noodles, a camel has anything given to him. While cats can nap in favorite chairs, and chickens roost, the camel laments that any place is good enough for him. Lambs and hens, kittens and pigs have beds or wonderful pens, not so for the camel who has sand, dusty, dusty sand. In the circus, the author points to the giraffe or an ox who can be ridden upon by a clown, but not so for the weighed down camel who has people and hundreds of pounds of additional objects.

But, the author praises, that the camel is lumpy, bumpy and humpy, and any shape is ok for them.

I can imagine a little boy sitting on his grandmother's lap while this lovely rhyming poem is read. And, of course the illustrations are lush, as always for Santore… (more)

A mother pig had piglets that the farmer kept because he wanted them to be good "truffle hunters." The farmer loved the pig, but one day she went too far with her love of truffles. She was alive to bring truffle hunting piglets in the world, NOT to over eat all the truffles she could find. Thus, the farm grew very angry and told her that she and her truffle hunting piglets had to go .

Frightened, Bianca, the mother pig, had never been on her own. Living in a strange environment and searching for food for her piglets was no easy task. Soon, Bianca and her baby pigs discovered their own truffles, and they were Happy!

Night brought more fear as the wolves found them and tried to make them their prey. Binaca gave the wolf one of the delicious truffles. And because truffle hunting is not easy, he decided to walk with the pigs.

Befriending Bianca and her piglets was a blessing when an entire pack of nasty wolves descending upon them. When the friend, the big wolf snarled and challenged the pack of wolves, they acquiesced. And for the rest of their lives, Bianca, her little piglets and the large wolf lived together. This is a lovely spin to the tale we know of the Three Pigs.

As always, the illustrations of Charles Santore are crisp, clear and beautiful. i take time to find the samples of the artistry so that perhaps you will also grow to love the art of illustrators of wonderful tales.… (more)

The artistry of Charles Santore always leaves me wanting to find, and read more of his works. Lush, incredibly detailed, this is one of my favorites of Santore.

Written, as well as illustrated, the author writes a story of Noah's Ark and illustrates the building, and collection of two of every animal on the earth. This task must be completed before the Lord begins to flood the earth.

As Noah and his family work to accomplish this herculean task, a tiny mouse name Achbar joins the crowd of animals as they climb into the huge ark. In order to find safety, he hides behind the oscecones of the giraffes, the wool of the sheep, the feathers of the ostrich, behind the feet of the majestic elephants, and his life is spared.

Thus there are three, not two mice on the Ark. While the story is original and unique, it is the illustrations that held me captive. I find solace in art and in illustrations of children's books.

This book is at the top of my list of favorites. If you enjoy imagery, good writing, and like me, find peace in taking a lot of time studying each page, then this is a book you will enjoy!… (more)