He enriches them. His illustrations are oil paintings, lush and textured. Ransome'scharacters are realistic, not idealized.
Uncles have comfortable paunches and sagging yet still powerful shoulders.
Mothers' faces may be furrowed by work and worry, but they are beautiful and strong. Even the folds and creases of clothing hint at the way the wearers stand, walk and live. The pictures alone tell a story. These prizes are given by the American Library Association to the top children's books from black authors and artists. Ransome, who lives in upstate New York with his wife and two young daughters, spoke by phone about the life of an illustrator.