Martin Salisbury’s 100 Great Children’s Picture Books

Good Morning everyone, I hope you had a great weekend and are raring to get stuck into the week ahead ? … No ?… well perhaps this post will help sort out your Monday blues, because once again I’m delighted to bring you another stunning publication from Laurence King.

I couldn’t be more excited as the author is a man I’ve admired for a long time now, a certain Martin Salisbury.

Martin is not only an illustrator himself, but the Professor of Illustration at Cambridge School of Art, Anglia Ruskin University, where he designed and leads the UK’s first Masters programme in children’s book illustration. I’ve heard great things about this MA course and if I had the finances right now, I would choose to be on it myself. I’ve a post from one of his recent students for you at the end of the week.

I have already purchased three of Martin’s earlier books, all of which are absolute gems in their own right ( two of them are also published by Laurence King). Basically anyone who wants to know anything about children’s picture books, need look no further than the information in these publications. It’s clear, concise, informative and creatively displayed. I can give them no greater praise : )

One of my favourite mid-century illustrators Helen Borten, just happened to send me an email letting me know that Martin’s book was featured by The Guardian on the very morning that my copy arrived !  I’m hoping that Helen’s books will be gracing our book shelves once again in the next few years, but I’m sworn to secrecy about the details … so watch this space.

Here is Helen’s page from Martin’s new book, alongside many artists I’ve featured on my blog already like Bernardo Carvalho,

Gerald Rose and Charles Keeping,

Laura Carlin and Beatrice Alemagna,

and the wonderfully colourful Kveta Pacovska.

Along with so many new names like 2012 illustrator Marta Altes, or Tom Gentleman and Betty Swanwick both working in the mid forties.

Michael Foreman and Emanuele Luzzati from the sixties.

Or Max Velthuijs and William Stobbs from the Seventies.

As the title of this book suggests there are 100 author / illustrators inside, so many many more well known and continental names to feast upon. Celebrating the best designed and illustrated picture books from around the world, over the last 100 years. This books selection is compiled with good art and design in mind first and foremost and with over 200 pages to ponder and sigh at, what’s really not to like !

I’m sure some of the inspiration will be filtering into my blog before long. Many thanks to Laurence King Publishing and to Martin Salisbury for creating such a piece of wonderfulness : ) Go and grab a copy today.

As an afterthought from this article, I will be building up a new section on the left of my blog under the heading

” MID CENTURY ARTISTS POSTS ON FISHINKBLOG “

You can see that I’ve started already. This will list those mid century artists who’s work I’ve spoken about, who largely can’t be found via a website.

It suddenly struck me that even artists like Helen Borten, who I’ve written numerous posts on, can’t be seen on my blog unless you enter her name in the search box or scroll back through my posts. Of course by going back through my posts, you will discover a whole host of goodies but you would even need to be aware of who Helen is to search for her in the first place.

This way you can hopefully discover new illustrators, sculptors, ceramists, graphic artists etc that you may not already be aware of. Do let me know you’re thoughts, and I’m always looking for suggestions of mid century people who’s work fits the Fishink bill, so please let me know those too.

Happy reading : )