Wednesday, March 03, 2010

Top 10 picture book characters

Shirley Hughes is one of the best-loved and most innovative creators of books for young children. She has written and illustrated over 50 books, sold more than eleven million copies, won major awards and created some of the most enduring characters in children's literature, including including Dogger, Alfie, and Lucy and Tom.

For the Guardian, she named her top 10 picture book characters.

One character on the list:
Ginger – Charlotte Voake

The relaxed simplicity of this kind of illustration is the hallmark of a true professional. Many small people will strangely identify with Ginger the cat's irritation when a kitten arrives to ruffle his life. The pictures sprawl nonchalantly across the page but nevertheless express a great deal of emotion.
Read about another picture book on Hughes' list.

--Marshal Zeringue