Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Dynamic Duo #1: Sarah Stewart and David Small

You may not realize it, but there are several amazing husband/wife teams in picture book land. The first pair we'll highlight are the wonderful Sarah Stewart and David Small. If you have not been acquainted with their picture books before now, do so immediately! I believe there's only one I haven't gotten my hands on, but the rest are discussed here (please let me know in the comments which one(s) I'm missing). I own most of these, and my children love them almost as much as I do.

Before I discuss their work, let me draw your attention to a wonderful interview on Kirkus that Julie Danielson of 7 Impossible Things Before Breakfast wrote up this fall (in addition to the material already on her blog!). When you view a couple's works as a whole, some similarities jump out. For instance, all of these titles begin with "the" and are simple titles. All feature a girl (most of them young) who is a little unique in her time and place and who is learning something very important about life in a quiet, steady manner. And each book is rich with unspoken detail. With the exception of The Money Tree, each of these books is a tall book. Three are epistolary in form. None of them feature the usual subject matter of picture books, if you assume that picture books must be about romping children and lots of activity. In fact, all are quiet stories, perfect for a snuggly fall afternoon with a cup of tea! Listed in order of my own preferences ☺.


The Gardener (1997; Caldecott Honor)
a young girl moves to live with her dour uncle and brings some joy and beauty 
to his life through her rooftop gardening

 The Library (1995)
when you love books and collect them voraciously...it's time to start a library!

The Quiet Place (2012)
a young girl moves to the US from Mexico in the 1950s 
and narrates her experience via letters to her auntie

The Money Tree (1991)
convicting tale of a woman who finds a money tree growing on her farm; 
she enjoys it for its beauty but passersby want it for its wealth


The Journey (2001)
a young Amish girl takes a journey to the big city and journals her experience

The Friend (2004; haven't read this one... yet!)

Also illustrated by David Small and worth reading:

Imogene's Antlers
endearing tale of Imogene who wakes up one morning to discover she's grown antlers...

The Huckabuck Family 
hilarious tale of the Huckabuck Family who raise popcorn


What's YOUR favorite Stewart/Small creation?
images from goodreads  

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