All Things Bright and Beautiful
illustrated by Ashley Bryan
based on the hymn by Cecil F. Alexander
Summary: An illustrated version of the traditional hymn, which describes the marvels of God's creation.
Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2010.
Beautifully detailed cut paper collages. I love the colors and the way Bryan adds motion to the illustrations. I'm sure the scissors on the endpapers hold a lot of meaning for Bryan, but I think they take away from the book as a whole.
ReplyDeleteThe illustrator's note says the scissors on the endpapers were his mother's sewing scissors -- she may have been appalled to know he was using them to cut paper! ;)
ReplyDeleteBut seriously, besides the striking colors and beautiful collages, I also appreciated the balance of each spread. I think the book as a whole does a good job portraying the joy of the hymn, but in an orderly and balanced way, which is also a nice reflection of the hymn.
I absolutely love this book. It amazes me that Ashley's books keep getting better and better. The colors and the intricate collage pictures are beautifully done. This is my front-runner for the Caldecott so far.
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