Molly Idle’s Flora and the Flamingo is such an enchanting book – and absolutely wordless. Now, as a writer – I am a huge fan of words, but this book is an absolute FEAST for the eyes. My preschooler (who is getting tired of all of the ABC’s and “sound this out” that I’ve been feeding her lately) was thrilled with a book that she could lyricise.
See for yourself –
But I will give a quick warning, however, it is not for the younger babies. There are wonderful tabs that you pull down to reveal more pictures that young ones will thrill at pulling off the book, thus destroying the masterpiece.
I’ve also become a fan of Molly Idle who was an artist at DreamWorks and has now jumped into children’s book illustrations – you can find her website here.
I am amazed at illustrators and the stories that pictures can make. Sometimes I will go to a writer’s conference and I’ll hang out in the illustrator panels or spend time in the art galleries. There is so much that a picture can say, and with each person, it can be a different story. I remember that my 4th grade teacher had us write the story behind Thomas Gainsborough’s Little Blue Boy (see the picture on the left). I can’t remember the story that I wrote, but I remember looking at the picture and thinking, Who is this? What is his story? Today I think I’ll write the story of why his stomach is poking out and where the missing button went!
(My husband just said, “He ate too many mince pies, and when he was at high tea, his button popped off and hit Aunt Adelaide in the eye!” I’m crying laughing!!!)
I think I’ve thought of some fantastic creative ideas for the long summer that we have looming before us. I only say looming, because I do NOT want the summer to be a TV festival for my girls! Any ideas for the pictures I should use?
Tamarack Idea Factory 