Trina Schart Hyman, who died in 2004, lived a large part of her life in Lyme, New Hampshire. She grew up in the country in Pennsylvania and has said "Romance and magic were very important to me. Fairy tales, folktales, and myths were--and still are--my favorite things. I loved to read and draw pictures more than anything..." When I came across her fairy tales, I was enchanted by the detail, complexity and richness of her illustrations. I especially loved how she used detailed borders around the text in her books. She won the Caldecott Medal in 1985 for Saint George and the Dragon by Margaert Hodges, and won 3 Caldecott honors.
Little Red Riding Hood, a Caldecott Honor book in 1984, is a lovely example of the illustrators work. The illustrations are so dense and detailed that one feels you are right inside this fairy tale world. If you have a child who loves fairy tales, seek out those illustrated by trina Schart Hyman.
My second fairy tale book author/illustrator is Susan Jeffers. She has been writing children's boks for over 40 years and won a Caldecott Honor in 1979. On her website (http://www.susanjeffers-art.com/) she explains her work:
"I realize now that I have always done the same things. When I was little, my best moments were spent drawing pictures, reading stories with my parents, playing with friends and sitting by the Ramapo River dreaming of horses. This has not changed. Being a childrens book illustrator has combined all of these things."
Susan Jeffer's version of The Nutcracker depicts the story of the Balanchine ballet instead of the longer E.T.A. Hofman fairy tale. It is a nice version to read aloud before a trip to see the Boston Ballet. The illustrations put you front row center at the ballet with the dancers, costumes and sets. A holiday favorite!
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