Isabelle Arsenault, illustrator extraordinaire and my collaborator on Spork and the forthcoming Virginia Wolf, has been chosen as one of the top ten illustrators of 2011 by The New York Times.
The book she illustrated—The Migrant by Maxine Trottier, published by Groundwood—is the beautifully-told story of a Mennonite family that migrates between Mexico and Canada every year for work. I love the way the shadows of a passing flock of geese seem to grow from the feet of the journeying migrant family in one spread. But I think my favorite detail is an inverted teardrop shape that appears in various guises throughout the book—bunny ears, speech bubbles, steam from a teacup… amazing!
Have a look at this wonderful slideshow featuring the work of the ten winners. So many new titles to add to our family wish list…
