In addition to their interesting stories, the following books also stand out from the rest with their special illustrations.
Jaclyn Moriarty: The Stolen Prince of Cloudburst (Guppy Books 2020)
You may have already read about the adventures of Bronte Mettlestone by the Australian writer Jaclyn Moriarty on BogiWrites. The special feature of the series is that – with the exception of the first volume – the protagonist of the stories is not Bronte, but one of her friends or relatives. In this way, the books are loosely connected to each other, you do not necessarily have to read them in order, they can even stand on their own. The Stolen Prince of Cloudburst is actually about Bronte’s cousin Esther, who attends a boarding school with her two sisters. Esther is the middle child, so her situation is not easy. They love each other very much, but Imogen and Astrid are both special in something, while Esther is just waiting to find her special ability to appear. But fate makes her the only one who can help her school. The book’s illustrations were done by the extremely talented Karl James Mountford.
Amy Timberlake: Skunk and Badger (Workman Publishing 2020)
American author Amy Timberlake writes children’s books, for which she has already won several awards. The first volume of her most popular series, Skunk and Badger, has already been translated to twenty languages. One day, Skunk knocks on Badger’s door, who is conducting extremely important lithological research, and his life turns upside down. The story of the odd couple is a funny answer to the question of what to do with an unbearable roommate. The strange story can be interesting for several age groups. The book’s illustrations were created by Jon Klassen, a Canadian writer and illustrator who is one of the representatives of promoting children’s literature in Canada and the United States.
Katarzyna Ryrych: The Inhabitants of the Burdock Field* (Łopianowe Pole, ADAMADA 2017)
Katarzyna Ryrych is a Polish writer, poet, teacher and painter. Her mother is a poet, her father is a journalist, she herself graduated from the Jagiellonian University with a degree in English. She currently works as a teacher, and in her free time, she likes painting, playing cello and piano. She has been writing since she learned about the letters. Her first book of poems was published in 1981 under the title ‘Notes of a certain hippie’ (Zapiski pewnej hipiski). She has published several volumes for both children and adults, which have won prestigious awards. The Inhabitants of the Burdock Field* deal with unusual topics, focusing on things that are apparently unnoticed. The setting is an average housing estate, where families have to deal with everyday difficulties, but fortunately, they can always count on each other (and the witch who lives in the yard). The surreal illustrations of the volume were created by Grazyna Rigall.
*my translation
