I know I posted a Middle-earth episode of Bookshelf Traveling earlier this week already, but wanted to try to get back to doing this one on Fridays, thus you get another episode of Bookshelf Traveling in Insane Times, hosted by Judith at Readers in the Wilderness.
Having just finished reading an Oliver Jeffers book this morning, I decided to focus on some “shelves” in a nook in our living room, wherein resides a part of my children’s book collection. As usual, feel free to click on the images to see larger versions.
When the idea came together to create something of a “children’s nook” in this corner of the living room, I thought this antique explosives box would be a great place to house some of my favorite children’s book.
By quick way of explanation: I’m still a big kid at heart, I love children’s book illustration, and I find that the children’s book authors I gravitate towards are skilled at creating clever, funny, emotionally satisfying stories.
Oliver Jeffers is well represented in this box of dynamite children’s books [see what I did there? *groan*] both with books he illustrated and ones he wrote AND illustrated. There is a book by artist Chris Sickels, of Red Nose Studio, whose three-dimensional creations, and the book covers that arise from them, are amazing.
I have two books that I purchased because I saw someone post about them online and I immediately fell in love with the art of Genevieve Godbout. I was thrilled when the work of the authors was as wonderful as the art. The Pink Umbrella by Amelie Callot is a sweet love story and Goodnight Anne by Kallie George is a tribute to one of my favorite literary characters, L.M. Montgomery’s Anne Shirley.
Neil Gaiman and Gris Grimly‘s Dangerous Alphabet has a wonderful Edward Gorey vibe while being uniquely its own thing. Be Prepared is an autobiographical tale of summer camp by artist/author Vera Brosgol, Insomniacs is a really fun tale written by Karina Wolf and illustrated by The Brothers Hilts as is The Dark, written by Lemony Snicket and illustrated by Jon Klassen. Both books represent interesting ways to look at and overcome fear of the night. And any book by Shaun Tan is layers upon layers of wonderful.
In a very rare declaration, I can actually say I’ve read all the books inside this “shelf”.
Atop the Trojan explosives box [I know, there are so many jokes here] are a couple of our MacMillan Collector’s Library editions. One is a James Herriot book and the other is one of Margery Allingham’s Campion novels. I love the television adaptations of both Herriot’s and Allingham’s work and really need to read them.
The art is one of two original Seth Fitts pieces, painted on blocks of wood. After this post the other day, it won’t surprise anyone that my first pieces bought from him feature dogs.
To the left of the box of children’s books is the other Sett Fitts piece, sitting atop an old Italian brick mold replica, inside of which sits a brick from the last Manhattan residence of Edgar Allan Poe. Mary purchased this for a gift for me many years back when the Poe Museum was doing a fundraiser.
This old, paint-spattered ladder was something I knew I had to have when I saw it in an antique store in a nearby small town, Greenwood. It houses my Tor.com novella collection [I have a few elsewhere on TBR piles]. The Murderbot novellas by Martha Wells are fantastic. I really enjoyed the first Binti novella and have the other two to read. Fran Wilde, Daniel Polansky, and Mary Robinette Kowal round out the pile and each of their novellas are very good, well worth reading.
That eye peeking out from behind the “A” is an original piece I bought from illustrator Ashley Lovett Mallett at a Spectrum Fantastic Art Live event.
The lower rung of this ladder houses two playing card sets created by Jackson Robinson. You need to check out his site. He has some very creative and wonderful card sets. Mary and I picked these up at the second Spectrum Fantastic Art Live event, I believe. The middle deck is a great Cyberpunk deck that Tori and Grant gave me on this recent Father’s Day.
And since art and prose have been inextricably linked in this entire post, I thought I would end it with acknowledgements to these artists who I admire and whose work I love. The small mermaid piece is a reworked image on wood block by Ashly Lovett Mallett from her Little Mermaid book, which I will be reviewing soon [in a post where I will brag on Ashly because she is great]. The tentacles coming out of the city is an original I commissioned from Jeffrey Alan Love. I had wanted something like this based on other images he had done that always brought the Conan stories to mind. He is a great guy and I love this piece.
The image above Love’s is a lovely work with a young girl and bears by artist Cory Godby. He too is a really great guy. And rounding out this section is the piece La Luna, from John Picacio‘s Loteria series. John was creating some originals based on his Loteria works at a Spectrum Fantastic Art Live event and I was thrilled to get this, being the moon-lover that I am. John is one of the most giving, caring people I’ve ever met. I’m honored to know him.
And this piece on the other wall is an original by artist Justin Gerard. It reminded me of movies I watched and stories I read as a kid. Love it. I have a piece by his wife, Annie Stegg-Gerard that I need to get framed and up on this wall with Justin’s. They are both very delightful people.
So in case you forgot in this long-winded post, here is what the area looks like when you step away. The pillows feature art by Jennifer Anne Gordon (on the left), who recently released an art collection that I will also be reviewing soon, and on the right a Mr. Darcy pillow I purchased for Mary that says “I love you most ardently” by artist Laura Frisk, whose Etsy site seems to be down.
It is Friday, which means for many it is, or soon will be, the start of the weekend. I hope yours is safe and meaningful and, if you are a reader, filled with good books.
That is a lovely reading area. I have a few children’s books myself. Some, that I adored as a young reader and some that my kids loved. I’ve kept theirs so that they can give them to their own kids someday. Mine, include Nancy Drew, The Giving Tree and Pippi Longstalking! So fun. Then I have the classics that I read as a kid like Treasure Island. I spent most of my childhood with my nose buried in a book. It was the a good time.
Thank you!
My nose was often buried in a book as well. I spent many vacations out of state reading books all the way too and back from our destination. My mom often admonished me to “look around”, but unless we were in the mountains in Colorado, I was happier looking at the landscape of the story I was reading.
What a delightful post. I love your paint spattered ladder and your novel use of it (see what I did there…) Martha Wells jumped out at me, I’ve read one book by her, The Cloud Roads from the Raksura series. I loved it and planned to read on but never did. I probably ought to try The Murder Bot Diaries.
Thanks Cath. You should definitely check out the first novella, All Systems Red, to see what you think. If you like the humor and adventure, then you will like the rest. There is also a novel that just came out.
We have a collection of illustrated children’s books also, mostly ones we purchased when my son was young. I have recently purchased a copy of All Systems Red by Martha Wells and look forward to reading it.Your reading area is very lovely and I love the playing card decks.
Thank you. I look forward to seeing what you think of Murderbot.
I can’t remember if we have Tori’s children’s books stored in our basement or if she has them. I believe she took them, but can’t remember.
I have a collection of children’s illustrated books, very different from yours though. You’ve inspired me to do a post on some of them – soonish. I enjoyed seeing a bit of your home and the artwork too.
Great, I look forward to seeing that post! And thanks. This corner sat largely empty, except for the chair, until one day all the ideas just fell into place.
Hi Carl,
Good pictures.
A far as the SF/Fantasy goes, I’ve not read Martha Wells, Daniel Polansky nor Mary Robinette Kowal but have enjoyed Nnedi Okorafor’s fiction. I have read the Fran Wilde book – well enough written but it wasn’t quite my thing.
I had read some of Nnedi’s short fiction before this, she is very good. I pretty much recommend the Murderbot stories to everyone. They are quick but satisfying reads.
Seems like a creative reading nook. The pillows are sweet and the dog art of course. Children’s illustrations in great books are so often magical. Glad you like them.
They really are. It is a different kind of art, and sometimes can be erroneously classified as being “simple”, but good art is anything but, regardless of the depth of detail.
What a lovely corner, thank you so much for sharing these lovely pics.
Lynn 😀
Thank you. We love that corner of the house. Took a lot of thinking and patience before inspiration finally hit.
Delighted to see you posting again! Maybe I should partake in this Bookshelf activity as well!
Glad to hear you like the Brian Daly Han Solo stories too. I think they’re the best Star Wars fiction ever produced, and i treasure my paperback omnibus of the 3 volumes.
Hope you and your family are healthy, and happy as can be in these times.
I agree with you wholeheartedly on your assessment of the Daily stories.
You should do some bookshelf posts. It is fun to see what others have in their homes, book-wise.
We are doing as well as can be expected. Everyone is healthy, and so that is a tremendous blessing.