Under the Spell of the Moon

Nikki Tate-Stratton writes children’s picture books and novels for
preteens. Her most recent novels are Jo’s Triumph, Raven’s Revenge,
and Tarragon Island. Her latest picture book is Grandparents’ Day.

“Give them books; give them wings.”

A gorgeous book created by the International Board on Books for Young
People (IBBY), Under the Spell of the Moon is a collection of the work
of more than 30 children’s book illustrators from around the world.
Each artist was asked to contribute a double-page spread illustrating a
piece of writing of his or her choice. Some selected nursery rhymes,
others favourite poems, yet others included original text. Each text is
presented both in the original language and in English.

The result is a fantastic trip around the world of children’s
illustration that reflects a wide range of artistic styles, techniques,
media, and subjects. The only consistency from page to page is the high
quality of the work. Many of the included artists are winners of
international awards and will be familiar to anyone who loves
children’s books (Peter Sis, Rosemary Wells, Quentin Blake). Other
artists are young, emerging, or well known regionally but have not yet
gained an international audience.

The countries represented in this collection include Palestine,
Malaysia, Japan, Nicaragua, Iran, Slovakia, and many more (Mary-Louise
Gay is the Canadian representative). IBBY’s mandate is to promote the
creation of quality books for children, and a portion of the proceeds
earned from the sale of this book will be donated to the organization. A
copy of this title belongs on the bookshelf of anyone with an interest
in children’s literature and illustration. Highly recommended.