The Art of Graeme Base
Grade 7 Up—From childhood, Base showed a gift for drawing, writing, and music, and, in the course of his 25-year career, he has made bountiful use of all three talents. Using a chronological approach, Watts traces the inspiration and creation of each of Base's books, supplying publishing anecdotes as well as information about accompanying musical and cinematic works, such as a television series based onAnimalia. Throughout, integrated quotes by the illustrator deepen the text, as do his often-witty captions for the visuals. As always with Base, research prefaces work on a book. ForSign of the Seahorsehe traveled to Australia's Great Barrier Reef, where his developing concern for the environment led him to give an ecological twist to the story-accomplished subtly and with great imagination. Watts closes with comments about Base's most recent book,Enigma, suggesting that with his ideas, energy, and artistry, the man's remarkable publishing journey is far from over. With more than 200 beautifully rendered illustrations, this book will fascinate browsers, leading them into a highly entertaining and informative text. Base's fans of any age will be intrigued.—Barbara Elleman, Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, Amherst, MACopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.