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Wildsmith, Brian
10 Reviews
(2)
K-3
Daisy, a discontented cow who longs to see the world, wanders away and attracts a television crew. Shortly thereafter, she's starring in Hollywood cowboy-and-Indian movies and being feted at banquets with caviar...but the homesick cow longs for grass, buttercups, and her own field. Wildsmith's use of half pages bound in with full pages creates varied and animated illustrations; dazzling colors and designs are offset by large white spaces.
Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
August, 1984
(3)
K-3
A brown bear happens upon an empty hot-air-balloon basket and takes a nap; he wakes up having landed in a big city full of adventures. Soon (through a series of humorous accidents) he becomes the toast of the town before returning to his home via the same balloon. Wildsmith's illustrations, with his trademark riotous colors and energy, capture the day's commotion and the bear's bewilderment.
Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano
(3)
PS
Wildsmith's distinctive, detailed animals pop against brightly colored backgrounds as they illustrate each letter of the alphabet. Preschoolers will easily recognize most of the creatures, with a few refreshingly unusual exceptions (quetzal for Q, vole for V, xenops for X). Four pages of "Amazing Animal Facts" conclude the animal parade.
Reviewer: Lauren Aimonette LIang
(3)
K-3
Wildsmith's trademark brilliant colors and richly textured patterns are used to full effect in these oversize books. Woodpecker details the conflict between a night-loving owl and the noisy woodpecker who takes up residence in his tree. In Duck, the main character is ridiculed because he can only swim in circles. Both books offer gentle lessons about respecting differences and learning to co-exist. Review covers these titles: The Little Wood Duck and The Owl and the Woodpecker.
Reviewer: Terri Schmitz
(3)
K-3
Wildsmith's trademark brilliant colors and richly textured patterns are used to full effect in these oversize books. Woodpecker details the conflict between a night-loving owl and the noisy woodpecker who takes up residence in his tree. In Duck, the main character is ridiculed because he can only swim in circles. Both books offer gentle lessons about respecting differences and learning to co-exist. Review covers these titles: The Little Wood Duck and The Owl and the Woodpecker.
Reviewer: Terri Schmitz
(3)
K-3
A hungry python invites the jungle animals to a party, where a competition culminates with his own amazing trick of fitting them all into his mouth. Only the timely intervention of the elephant saves the guests from their folly. Wildsmith excels at bold, brightly colored illustrations of animals, and this cautionary tale is a visual delight.
Reviewer: Terri Schmitz
(3)
K-3
Told with an emphasis on the thoughts and feelings of the donkey that carried Jesus into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, this story concludes with the resurrection and the donkey's return home. Wildsmith's colorful watercolor and pencil illustrations, using accents in gold on each spread, provide a traditional treatment with a strong sense of place.
Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth
(3)
K-3
This handsomely illustrated picture book gives an overview of Jesus' life beginning with the angel Gabriel's visit to Mary and ending with Jesus' ascension into Heaven. With so much material to cover, Wildsmith limits each event to just a sentence or two. The symmetrical compositions and gold borders give a formality to the otherwise loose paintings. This is a useful, albeit brief, introduction.
Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth
(3)
K-3
Wildsmith retells the Exodus story, from the birth of Moses to the arrival of the Hebrew people in the Promised Land. The storytelling is formal but understandable to a young reader. The illustrations are dramatic, and each page is bordered in gold, with God depicted as a prismatic star. Rather than emphasizing individual characters, the focus is on the sweeping landscapes and the crowds of Hebrews leaving Egypt.
Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth
(3)
K-3
A little girl and a baby donkey follow the donkey's mother to Bethlehem, where they find the baby Jesus in a manger. The story is very simple but incorporates details from the biblical account. Both homey and glorious, Wildsmith's paintings use muted browns and greens for the shepherds and their surroundings and bright gold for the star pointing them toward Bethlehem.
Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth
10 reviews
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