The Illustrator's Notebook

Celebrated Egyptian artist and children's book author Mohieddine Ellabbad makes his English-language debut with The Illustrator's Notebook, and all I can say is - it's about time! Keeping the original Arabic edition completely intact, this new translation from Canadian publisher Groundwood Books presents each page as it was initially laid out, with both artwork and Arabic text, while the English text appears in the side margins. It also preserves the reading structure of the original, with the pages going from right to left, rather than left to right, and the back cover (or what is traditionally the back cover, in English-language books) being the front.

Within these pages Ellabbad presents images - postcards, photographs, drawings - and show more reflections upon these images, exploring everything from the importance of memory, in shaping who we are, to the influence that the way we read - right-to-left, as with Arabic, or left-to-right, as with western languages - has upon our appreciation of art. Here are memories of his childhood and youth, of the joy that he and siblings took in the publication of their favorite magazines and books; and here are works of art, from paintings to calligraphy, that inspired him in his own journey as an artist. Part autobiography, part artistic education, this unique picture-book is informative and engaging, and had me thinking of things, and more importantly, looking at them from a different perspective. It's my first children's book from Egypt, but given how thoughtful its text, and how beautiful its multi-media artwork, I hope it will not be my last! We need more translated literature, both adult and children's, to teach us how alike and how different we are. Highly recommended to all young would-be artists, and to any reader curious about children's books from other parts of the world. show less

Äußerlich mutet das Buch wie eine altmodische Zeichenmappe an. Ein kleines Einbahnstraßenschild verweist auf die Rückseite, auf der sich erst der Titel findet: In arabischer Tradition muss das Buch von rechts nach links durchblättert werden. Der ägyptische Grafiker und Illustrator Mohieddin Ellabbad versammelt in seinem Werk unterschiedliche Bilder, Erinnerungsstücke und persönliche Notate und fügt sie zu Collagen zusammen. Dabei verwendet er sowohl alltägliches Bildmaterial seiner Umgebung als auch Reproduktionen von Bildern westlicher Prägung: Da finden sich gepinselte Koranverse und ägyptische Geldscheine, eine alte Landkarte und ein Comicbild von Superman, historische Fotos und neue Ansichtskarten. In den begleitenden show more Texten verbindet Ellabbad persönliche Erinnerungen mit Reflexionen über das Entstehen und das Entziffern von Schrift und Bild, über das Lesen, Schreiben und Zeichnen. Staunend folgt ihm der Betrachter durch Fremdes und Vertrautes und lässt dabei erlernte Wahrnehmungsmuster hinter sich. Ein ganz ungewöhnliches Bilderbuch für ältere Kinder, das aber auch Jugendliche und Erwachsene fasziniert. show less

Gorgeous. Illuminating. I'm not an artist, but reading ME's thoughts and seeing the images he created to support them, I do feel more enlightened. Everybody should read it - those who are creative, those who aren't, children, adults, people who like fantasy, people who like memoirs, people who read Arabic, people who read English.... I 'read' this three times and now it's way overdue at the library. I can't wait to discuss it in the Children's Books group here on GR.

This book immediately demands its reader to consider a difference perspective, as it is intended to be read from right to left. Each page integrates a brief parable with beautiful, original collages of calligraphy and illustration, watercolors, engravings, post cards, and photographs. Read one a day for inspiration and guidance.

How incredibly interesting!