Six Crows
Leo Lionni
Alfred A. Knopf (1988)
We love Leo Lionni's interesting fables and collages. Mirette loves Swimmy, Alexander and the Wind Up Mouse, and A Fish is a Fish, but Six Crows is a new one for us. We love the fall theme, the picture of crows with ripped paper, and of course anything with a scarecrow wins Mirette's seal of approval. I, of course, like the books that have morals because they usually remind me of life's simple truths. In this case, it's never too late to talk things over.
Here's a few interesting things about Leo Lionni (1910-1999):
As many illustrators of his generation, he got started with a career in advertising.
He didn't start writing until he was around 60. He was on a train without any art supplies and started tearing images out of magazines to tell a story to his grandchildren, thus inspiring him to use his collage method.
He is the first children's author/illustrator to use collage as a medium.
He uses realistic color on a white background.
He is Dutch, but lived in the United States and Italy.
He wrote 40 books.
He was an only child.
His mom was an opera singer.
As a kid, he collected all kinds of natural objects and many of his images stem from this time.
Being Jewish, his family got out of Italy and moved to the states right before the war.
He loved music.
He died of Parkinson's disease.
This website is full of information, profiles all of his books, a few videos and a touching piece written by his granddaughter: http://www.randomhouse.com/kids/lionni/aboutlionni.php
Another site with some great information/lesson plans: http://www.mermaidtheatre.ns.ca/onTour/leoLionni/Leo_Lionni_SG/index.htm
His obituary: http://www.nytimes.com/1999/10/17/nyregion/leo-lionni-89-dies-versatile-creator-of-children-s-books.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm
