The Lion and the Mouse/The Sunday Outing/The Old African Jerry Pinkney, illustrator

Jerry Pinkney, writer and illustrator

Jerry Pinkney is a fabulous illustrator who, not surprisingly, has won several awards for his art, but was, unfortunately, someone I had not heard about prior to taking this class.  However, I am very  impressed by his work and very glad that I have been exposed to him and his art.

The first book I picked up by Pinkney was his recent creation, The Lion and the Mouse.  I was stunned by this book's beauty as well as how Pinkney's art tells the story without ever using a word.  Sitting in Barnes and Nobel that day and glancing at all the Caldecott Winners, I just happened to pick up this book and realize it was by Pinkney.  I was immediately enthralled!  In fact, I loved it so much, I shared with my daughters, and, they, like me, were in awe.  Pinkney uses watercolors, making his images look almost dream-like but still real. 

I also read The Sunday Outing which is illustrated by Pinkney and written by his wife, Gloria Jean Pinkney.  This wonderful story of  how a little girl's dream to ride on a train in order to visit her relatives in North Carolina comes true is further enhanced by Pinkney's illustrations.  I really enjoy the colors Pinkey uses in this book as well as the detail he gives to the characters' facial features.  All of their expressions really come to life, especially the illustration depicting Ernestine's friends as she is telling them about her trip.  Their looks exhibit wonder, happiness, and even jealously. 

Also, Pinkney illustrated Julius Lester's book The Old African, which I discussed in a previous blog.  Again, the artwork is exquisite with a dream-like quality that still shows the realism and horror of the characters' situations.  However, my favorite illustration in this book are the ones which depict the people traveling underwater back to their homes in Africa. These scenes not only show the characters but also the sea life, swimming around them, guiding them home.  It is simply beautiful.

I never realized how beatiful artwork utilizing watercolors can be, and I am not surprised that Pinkney is an award-winning illustrator.  Most of the other children's illustrations I have seen are trite, simple, humorous pictures which don't really show anything about the characters's plights or their situations.  Pinkney's illustration are nothing like this.  He truly is a first-class artist with whom, I am sure, many writers would love to collaborate.  I am very glad I know about him now, and I will continue to follow him and his art.