I have been reading Wind in the Willows this summer. I thought I knew the story, as I had the audio book when I was a kid...come to think of it I still have the audio book. But it is an abridged version.
So it has been a delight discovering all the "new" bits - like Christmas at Moley's and meeting the God Pan.
But even better than that are the illustrations.
EH Shepard is better know for his Winnie the Pooh illustrations, which has always been a great favorite of mine, and I loved to copy the pictures of Pooh and Piglet. I thought I would share some of my favorite pictures from Wind in the Willows.
I think he had the most fun drawing Toad. You can feel his shame and apprehension when, disguised as a washer woman, he is ridiculed by a saucy fox.
And you can almost see his proud strut as he swaggers into the local pub.
Here he is splashing through the text in his brand new wager boat.
And I think I see just a touch of Piglet in this drawing of Moley, freed from Spring Cleaning and dancing through the wild flowers
oh, I know that feeling so well
So who is your favorite children's book illustrator? Leave a comment below and open up a whole new magic world for us