Here recently, thanks to my niece and nephews, I have been on an adventure to reconnect with the child that I know is still living inside me. I have been taking trips to local bookstores and to chain bookstores to try to rediscover what I consider to be some of the best years of my life. I thought what better way to start than by reading and sharing children (and BIG kid) literature. Along this journey, I have come across several children books, but one has my complete attention at the moment.
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| Image of the front cover. |
The book is titled Ellie and it is written and illustrated by Mike Wu. Wu is a Pixar artist that has worked on some of the greatest movies ever (or so I think). He's worked on: Up, Ratatouille, The Incredibles, Toy Story 3, and Brave. Prior to Pixar he worked with the Walt Disney Feature Animation Studios and worked on these titles: Hercules, Atlantis, Mulan, and Tarzan.
Let me first start by saying, these illustrations for this book are just simply gorgeous. They make you feel warm. It is nice to take a step back and to see something that has such a beautiful classic vibe about it. I'm not going to lie, I never read a book that had googly eyes or pull the tab here as a child. I lived for the illustrations, but what kid doesn't? Anyway, I feel like books like Ellie are about a dime a dozen due to all the possibilities that an artist/illustrator can do with technology.
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| An image from Ellie. |
Set aside from illustrations, the message makes you appreciate yourself. I don't want to spoil anything for potential readers, but Ellie is such an easy character to relate to. She helps you to appreciate yourself. It doesn't matter if you are tall, small, weak, or strong. We all have our own purpose and our own special talents. Sometimes it takes some people longer than others to realize that. Basically, we are all unique in our own way.
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| Another image from Ellie. |
If you are a Disney or Pixar fan, you might even be surprised to see a few hidden Easter eggs throughout your reading. With that said, if you need a good book to read or share with the kids or BIG kids, I wouldn't miss out on this read. We've all been this little elephant at some point in our lives.
To check out the interview between Wu and Slavey, go here:
http://geekdad.com/2015/05/ellie-by-pixar-artist-mike-wu/
For more information about Mike Wu and to see some of his work, go here:
http://www.foliolit.com/gallery-illustrator/mike-wu-gallery/
That's one heck of an impressive resume Wu has there! I like that you tie visual art with the literary here. My own writing is very imagistic, very visually oriented. That may stem from a childhood, like your own, spent relishing the illustrations and pictures that came in books. That being said, art isn't just for children's books - it's for everyone! And Wu's art here is excellent.
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