Mordicai Gerstein (1935–2019)

Inspired by French artist Henri Rousseau's famous painting, The Sleeping Gypsy, author/illustrator Mordicai Gerstein imagines the story - as contained in Rousseau's dream - that might lie behind the celebrated work of art. Following a young woman as she treks across the desert, the narrative chronicles her singing, her nighttime rest, and the many animals who come to examine her. When Rousseau himself shows up and begins painting her, each of the animals, save the lion, has so much to say show more about the painting, that he ends up erased from the canvas...

Awarded a Caldecott Medal in 2004 for The Man Who Walked Between the Towers, Mordicai Gerstein is a prolific and immensely talented artist in his own right. I really enjoyed this exploration of one possible back-story for a painting that he has found personally inspiring, especially since I have seen The Sleeping Gypsy many times, while visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The illustrations here, done in acrylics, build seamlessly upon the style and aesthetics of the original painting, expanding its vision in interesting and thought-provoking ways. There are moments of humor, as when the narrator informs us that Rousseau ignored all critiques, and moments of beauty as well. Recommended to anyone looking for children's stories about dreams, artists, and the powerful effect that art can have upon us, its ability to command our attention and draw a response. show less

"Once, in A Book by Mordicai Gerstein, published by Roaring Brook Press, New York, there lived a family of characters." And so begins this creative picture-book tribute to the art of the book, which follows its nameless heroine as she sets out to find her story. Is it a fairy tale, perhaps? A mystery? A pirate adventure, or historical epic? In the end, she must decide for herself...

A humorous exploration of genre and voice, readership and narration, A Book both enlightens and entertains. In show more one amusing scene, the young heroine stares up from the page, startled to discover the existence of her audience. This role-reversal, in which the reader becomes the object of attention, affords children the opportunity to reflect on their own part in the reading process. The innovative narrative format, together with Gerstein's whimsical illustrations, makes for a most satisfying (and unusual) book experience. Highly recommended - I thank my friend Lisa for bringing it to my attention! show less

In this lovely adaptation of a Scottish folktale, a young fisherman spies a beautiful selkie maiden one moonlit Midsummer's Eve night, and, stealing her seal-skin while she is in human form, and dancing on the rocks, insists that she marry him. Agreeing, but only when he promises to free her after seven years, the selkie maiden becomes a wife, and eventually, a mother. But her longing for the sea is unabating, and when, the seven years having passed, her husband refuses to honor his word, show more she is inconsolable. It falls to her young son, Andrew, terrified of losing his mother, but determined to comfort her in her grief, to find her sealskin, and restore her to freedom...

Lyrically told, and beautifully illustrated, The Seal Mother takes the well-known story of The Seal Wife, and focuses on the bond between mother and son, rather than wife and husband. This astute choice adds particular poignancy to the tale, giving Andrew's actions, in freeing his mother, despite his own fears, and his sense of loss, greater depth of meaning. His reward, and the reward given to his descendents, is all the more precious, for being bought with such self-sacrifice. The artwork, done in watercolor and gouache, is just as appealing as the narrative, with a palette that evokes the sea, and an occasional pointillist quality (particularly in the depiction of the ocean) that add to the sense of enchantment. All in all, an outstanding picture-book (I think I need to track down my own copy!), one I recommend to all who enjoys selkie stories. show less

A young child's cat wakes him up late one night (or maybe it's early in the morning) and ushers him through his house in the dark so that they can catch the sunrise. The artwork on this is utterly and completely gorgeous. The creep through the house is done in black and grayish sepia tones and then once they are out in the yard the sun slowly creeps in, and then full color spreads of the sunrise. The artwork alone makes it worthwhile; the author perfectly catching the excitement of creeping show more through the house late at night while everyone else is asleep is an added bonus. show less