I’m 22 years old, I adore picture books, and I’m not ashamed to admit it.  Picture books aren’t only for children, you know.  I admit that I forgot about picture books somewhere between first and second grade and never looked back until I started working at Lemuria.  And now when I’m negotiating with graduate programs and trying to figure out where in the world I’m going to come up with the money to study in Paris, my worn-out, stressed-out self finds solace in the wonderful illustrations found in children’s picture books. I find myself having a bit of a crush on some of these illustrators who build aesthetically-pleasing worlds out of the sparse ( though often catchy and sweet) lines on each page of these books.  I also find myself fighting the desire to deface these children’s books by tearing out my favorite pages, framing them, and hanging them around my room.  (It’s a great idea in my mind, but I’d be sad to have a book with missing pages, wouldn’t you?)

I was delighted when John Bemelmans Marciano visited Lemuria to sign his new book Madeline at the White House. Though any copies of the Madeline books I had when I was a child have long ago disappeared (hopefully they’re being checked out of a library somewhere or sitting on some other family’s bookshelf), I couldn’t resist buying new copies of the original Madeline tales as well as  Marciano’s newest additions to Madeline’s adventures—and no, not for my future child, just for myself.

For more on John Bemelmans Marciano and his grandfather, click on the photo to read Emily’s blog.

And my newest illustrator crush is Carson Ellis.  I was already vaguely familiar with her work as she designs the cover art for The Decemberists, one of my favorite bands.  Maybe you recognize some of it?

Anyway, I am pleased to say that Carson also illustrates children’s picture books.  For example (and this isn’t a picture book but it is a young adult series), remember Nell’s blog on The Mysterious Benedict Society?  Yep, Carson Ellis did the cover art.

And that’s just one of the many.  I was quite happy yesterday when Emily helped me find more of Carson’s work back in OZ.  If you’re interested in Carson Ellis as an illustrator, check out her website here. And if you’re interested in finding some great picture books to marvel at, then come check out OZ.  -Kaycie

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