If You Like... Iconic Author/Illustrator Duos

Whether you're a sucker for the classics or a fan of a newer illustrative style, here are some masterful author and illustrator duos who bring excellence to both words and pictures and combine them in such a way that success is guaranteed.

Modern Powerhouses:

Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen

The Three Billy Goats Gruff

Written by Mac Barnett

Illustrated by Jon Klassen

New York: Orchard Books, an imprint of Scholastic, Inc., 2022. Picture Book.

The witty words of Mac Barnett are perfectly brought to life by the inimitable Jon Klassen in this humorous take on the classic story of The Three Billy Goats Gruff.

Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham

Pretty Perfect Kitty-corn

Written by Shannon Hale

Illustrated by LeUyen Pham

New York: Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2022. Picture Book.

Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham have taken their real life friendship and transformed it into many heartwarming collaborations. Their most recent story is the second installment in their Kitty-corn series, Pretty Perfect Kitty-corn. This book also features two friends, Kitty and Unicorn, however this time around when Unicorn who strives to be perfect, embarrasses himself, he becomes worried Kitty won't like him anymore.

Minh Lê and Dan Santat

The Blur

Written by Minh Lê

Illustrated by Dan Santat

New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2022. Picture Book.

Though only three collaborations deep, the duo of Minh Lê and Dan Santat, have already produced such quality books that it certainly makes them a team to eagerly watch in the future. Their latest joint effort is The Blur, a story that compares the phenomenon of a child's development from birth to young adulthood with superhero-like abilities.

Classic:

Roald Dahl and Quentin Blake

Matilda

Written by Roald Dahl

Illustrated by Quentin Blake

New York, N.Y.: Viking Kestrel, 1988. Fiction. 240 pages.

When you think of the iconic works of Roald Dahl it is impossible to separate it from the masterful images crafted by Quentin Blake. With a collaboration that lasted decades, this quintessential author and illustrator duo are the ideal for future generations. One such work is Matilda, the story of a young girl genius who uses her telekinetic powers to thwart the evil headmistress of her school, Ms. Trunchball.

Comments

Funny Farm by Mark Teague 2009

There are things I liked about Mark Teague's newest book, Funny Farm , and things I didn't like. Where should I start? I'll do the "didn'ts" first. The illustrations show animals personified. Well, some of the animals are. The main characters, Edward, and his farm family relatives, all dogs, are humanized. They stand upright, do farm chores, eat at a table, wear clothes, knit (yes, with paws) and sleep in beds. Most everybody else on and around the farm, who are also animals, act like animals. They are outside, roll in mud, live in the barn, and require care from their owners. It struck me the most on the page spread where there are pigs playing in puddle in the rain and Edward, a black and white boxer, watches from inside the house. I thought "You're a dog! Go play with them!" But, alas, he can't, seeing as how he goes through his entire visit to the farm wearing a suit and red bow tie. Another picture that bothered me was the maple syrup pa...

The Girl Who Could Fly by Victoria Forester 2008

J Fiction 328 pages I almost didn't finish this book. I got to Chapter 4, and was just about ready to quit (a kind of slow story about a girl, name of Piper McCloud, who discovers she can fly, parents freak out, she becomes a social outcast, yadda, yadda) but suddenly, right there in Chapter 4, the story takes a sharp turn and becomes really interesting . Piper finds herself in the company of others like her, but not "fliers", and under the care and authority of Dr. Hellion. I won't even tell you any more. Read this book. Forester does a great job of keeping you wondering who's the good guy and who's the bad? Piper is a likeable, strong, endearing character that girl readers will enjoy. But don't NOT give it to boys! The main male character is an extremely intelligent young man who is one of the ones you wonder about . . . good or bad? This is a good one, well worth your time.

Review: Super Boba Cafe

Super Boba Café By Nidhi Chanani New York: Amulet Books, 2023. Comics. 215 pages. 14-year-old Aria is excited to spend her summer in San Francisco getting quality time with her Nainai. She loves helping at her grandmother's Super Boba Café. But she can't help but notice that her grandmother is acting strange and secretive. She refuses to let Aria into the kitchen at all and she disappears at the same time each night without telling Aria where she goes. Meanwhile, Aria is eager to drum up more business for Super Boba Café. She gets a major windfall when the shop cat, Bao, surprises them by having kittens, and Aria realizes this is a major social media opportunity. She knows this will help Nainai's shop, but she is apprehensive to get back on social media after a terrible cyberbullying experience she had back home. As the shop starts to get busier, Nainai is more and more anxious about her secret project. This prompts Aria to investigate with help from her Nainai's neighb...

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