Please do judge a book by its cover sometimes

One of my favourite ways to find good books at the library is selecting them based on their covers. Now, I'm not saying that good covers equal good books, but it's a nice method to discover new authors. In order to  do more posts about things that are aesthetically pleasing, I thought I'd post some book covers that are truly a treat for the eye. Note that I actually haven't read any of these books, but I'm definitely familiar with the authors. Go to the The Book Cover Archive if you're interested in seeing a dozen more of these.

 

Et alors?

From Alors by Kitty Crowther, 2005

Two days ago, the Belgian (well technically part-British, part-Swedish but she has lived her all her life) illustrator Kitty Crowther won the prestigious Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. The writers and illustrators who receive this award are recognized for their work which reflects the philosophy of Astrid Lindgren and promotes the reading of books. Receiving this baby is an honour of first degree.

In the words of the jury:

She maintains the tradition of the picture book while transforming and renewing it,” the jury said in its citation. “In her deeply felt empathy with people in difficulty, she shows ways in which weakness can be turned into strength. Humanism and sympathy permeate and unify her artistry.

As an aspiring illustrator myself and a fan of her work this news great. Some recognition for the amazing talent we have here in Belgium and proof that there is indeed a future in illustration (for those lucky few).

Kitty Crowther writes and illustrates her own stories of which the total count rests at about twenty-something. She is a storyteller at heart. Kitty didn't talk until she was six years old because she couldn't hear a thing. No one knew what to do with her. To escape, she invented her own little world. Drawing soon became one of the only ways to express herself. Eventually she got a hearing aid and learned how to talk but  all those years that she was behind still left her very isolated. In her own words, books were her bubble, her refuge.

One of her favourite things is drawing wretched people She alternates between brown or black ink and pencils, creating a mood with just a few lines.

And since we're on topic, I thought I should share some other amazing Belgian illustrators.

My favourite has to be fellow 'Gentenaar' Eva Mouton, who graduated only last year.
Please check her out at her website here.

Next we have Merel Eyckerman. I'm going to speed things up a bit because my arm is feeling numb.
She too is an amazingly talented woman with a lot great books to back it up. More of her work to be found at www.merel-benjamin.be and check out Benjamin Leroy whilst you're at it!

xo

Credits: 1,2 and 3

Book Journal

My mom returned from Berlin last week and brought along this fabulous gift. It wasn't anything Ampelman-related, but a book journal by Moleskine. As a rule, she always buys books in foreign cities, because she finds it a lot more exciting there. I'm probably not the only one who adores Moleskine and their sleek design. I'd like to own it all, the sketchbooks, the amazing city guides, the notebooks...
The list goes on

But this type of journalc, one that I had never seen, had me written all over it. Fashion is probably the second thing in line that I'm passionate about. Books have always been my first love. From an early age on, my mother has encouraged me and my brother to read as many books as possible. You're probably starting to get why I love this book journal so much.

It allows you to document the books you've read. You write down some obligatory information and then the real fun starts: quotes, opinion, little smiley stickers saying 'best ever'. This way, I'll have a nice overview of all the books I've read in a couple of years.

On a side note, I'm trying to get to the outfit posts but it's all such a hassle. The camera does not like me and the feeling is mutual. But maybe, I will be uploading something soon. Yay for Spring!

But everyone disappears, no matter who loves them

"You and everyone like you, with your Q & As or your columns or Web sites -you all want to be famous, you want to be rock stars, but you're struck in this terrible bind, where you also want to be thought of as smart, legitimate, permanent. So you do your little thing, are read by your little coterie, while secretly seething about the Winona Ryders and Ethan Hawkes, or even the Sari Lockers-"

- Dave Eggers, A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius