A Child of Books

Product Information

From figurative painting, collage and installation to illustration and award winning picture-books, Oliver Jeffers practice takes many forms. The story is delightful, but looking for words from well known classics which form the pictures is also fun (eg words from Shelley's Frankenstein form the monster) A celebration of the imagination that knows no boundaries. Combining elegant images by Oliver Jeffers and Sam Winston's typographical landscapes shaped from excerpts of children's classics and lullabies, A Child of Books is a stunning prose poem on the rewards of reading and sharing stories--an immersive and unforgettable reading experience that readers will want to pass on to others. In this video from Walker books, Oliver Jeffers and Sam Winston discuss their new book, A Child of Books.

For example, within an ocean going boat, we are peppered by titles, great and wonderful books that shape us and build the traveling experience. Jeffers and Winston's mixed-media artwork, an inventive combination of watercolor, pencil, and digital collage, elicits strong notice from readers. New York Times best-selling author-illustrator Oliver Jeffers and fine artist Sam Winston deliver a lyrical picture book inspiring readers of all ages to create, to question, to explore, and to imagine. Through forests of fairy tales and across mountains of make-believe, the two travel together on a fantastical journey that unlocks the boy’s imagination. New York Times best-selling author-illustrator Oliver Jeffers and fine artist Sam Winston’s lyrical picture book inspires readers of all ages to create, to question, to explore, and to imagine.

It was such a pleasure to meet you both, and I really appreciated how smoothly and professionally you ran everything.

A Child of Books acknowledges the thrill of scary stories, the excitement of adventure narratives and the enchantment of fairy tales. I have even talked the head into a little revamp of the library so that we can display them properly! This text in the pictures comes from famous classic tales such as Hansel and Gretel and Alice in Wonderland.I think it's a nice book and a nice sort of ode to reading but it just didn't have as much appeal to me as it seems to have with other reviewers. Your selection was perfect for our children and what really made the difference was your ability to engage with each child, discuss their interests and help them to choose a suitable book based on your extensive knowledge of the books you were selling. Your words, like your reviews, bring books to life and give them a voice before the front cover is even turned. There was just the right amount of choice to suit everyone without being overwhelming and I received comments from parents and staff about the quality of books offered compared to previous sales which have always been based around current crazes and well known celebrity authors. Every one of its elements--the haunting prose poem executed in hand- lettered words; the pictures done in watercolor, pencil, and digital collage; and the objects built from words borrowed from classic stories--all work together toward a richly harmonious whole.