favorite illustrators: Catherine Rayner

Commenting on art is not something I can do with profound insight or knowledge, but I know what I like when I see it.  Catherine Rayner's watercolor artwork found in several delightful storybooks, both those of her own authorship and those she's illustrated for others, is lovely. 

 

We were first introduced to Rayner's work in Posy by Linda Newbury, about a playful little kitten of the same name.  The artwork is astonishingly complex and layered, but the effect is engaging and comprehensive, much like of an impressionist work but more modern.  We have since come to enjoy Augustus and His Smile, about a doleful tiger searching for his smile, searching amongst the wonders of creation in hopes of finding it.  Sylvia and Bird is a sweet story of an unlikely friendship between a dragon and a bird, each lending a hand to the other in times of great need.  Harris Finds His Feet tells the story of a little hare learning to be at peace with himself and his big feet thanks in part to the wisdom and encouragement of his "grandad."

Rayner's most recently-released book is Ernest, The Moose Who Doesn't Fit.  The poor creature is so large he cannot fit within the confines of the book's pages.  So he cobbles together scraps of paper to make a page big enough to accommodate him. 

With enchanting, fanciful artwork and satisfying stories of friendship, ingenuity, self-acceptance, and an appreciation for the world around us, Catherine Rayner's books merit a place on any family bookshelf.