WIN $150 GIFT VOUCHERS: ALADDIN'S GOLD
A writer and storyteller who is greatly admired in Spain, Margarita del Mazo has almost twenty books to her name, many of which have been translated into other languages. Among them are the bestsellers Camuñas and The Flock (El rebaño), which won the Madrid Booksellers Guild Award and the Miami Cuatrogatos Foundation Award for best illustrated children’s book. José Fragoso studied Cartoon Animation and Graphic Design in Madrid (Spain) and Illustration at School Of Visual Arts New York. His illustrations have appeared in children's books, magazines, comic books and album artworks in Spain and US. He teaches Illustration at Instituto Cervantes New York and Chicago or United Nations International School, between others. Jose is the in-house illustrator and story-board artist at Picture Farm Production, where he helps their directors visualize their ideas and serves as a valuable member in many of their projects, discussing the relative merits of many decisions from conception to the final product with a clear, strong creative voice. He is a proud member of the Society of Illustrators. He lives in Chicago with his wife, his two daughters and his french bulldog, his hands are always inky and he is 100% feliz.
This tale is told with verve and humor, and shows a happy kingdom with loving parents and a racially diverse populace. The playful caricature-like illustrations reminded me of the French illustrator Sempe, and sure enough, Sempe is listed on the author's website as one of his influences. Ink with watercolors on a spare background keep the eye focused on the princess's antics. From playing music on pots and pans, to tying a witch's hair to the tail of a cat, there are lots of details that will make parents and kids giggle, and hopefully they will recognize that a kid just has to be a kid, princess or not!---Youth Services Book Review
