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Two Heroes of Greek History and Mythology Brought to Life in New Picture Books 

The Story of Alexander the Great by Sofia Zarabouka (J. Paul Getty Trust Publications) Jason and the Golden Fleece: The Most Adventurous and Exciting Expedition of All the Ages by Sofia Zarabouka  (J. Paul Getty Trust Publications) Award-winning author and illustrator Sofia Zarabouka has retold and uniquely illustrated the stories of two Greek heroes in The Story of Alexander the Great  and Jason and the Golden Fleece: The Most Adventurous and Exciting Expedition of All the Ages.

Combining stories from history and legend, The Story of Alexander the Great chronicles the life of Alexander the Great from his early years as the son of King Philip and Queen Olympias to his rise as a brilliant leader of armies and his extraordinary reign over much of the known world. By the age of twenty the warrior king had proclaimed himself pharaoh of Egypt, battled Persian armies, marched into India, and carried classical culture to the foothills of the Himalayas. Although he only lived to the age of thirty-two, Alexander the Great remains one of the most celebrated figures of classical antiquity.

Through words and pictures, Zarabouka adapts the myth of Jason and the Argonauts' quest to the faraway land of Kolchis for the coat of the famed golden ram in Jason and the Golden Fleece. Along the way, they face many challenges, including rescuing King Phineus from the menacing Harpies, navigating through a deadly passageway of rocks, and plowing a field planted with dragon's teeth that rapidly grow into fierce giants.

Alexander the Great and Jason and the Argonauts are among the most memorable heroes of Greek history and mythology, and Zarabouka's engaging story-telling and captivating illustrations bring these stories to life for a new generation. 

Handmade Book Retells the Story of Oedipus

Sophocles' Oedipus the King retold by Sirish Rao, Gita Wolf-Sampath, art by Indrapramit Roy (J. Paul Getty Trust Publications)

Following in the tradition of Sophocles' Antigone comes Sophocles' Oedipus the King from writers Sirish Rao and Gita Wolf and illustrator Indrapramit Roy. With original drawings done in the style of ancient Greek art, no part of this book is produced on machines.

Among the Greek tragedies, none is better known than the story of Oedipus, the king of Thebes, who sets out to uncover the sin for which his people are being punished, only to discover that it is he who has unwittingly committed unspeakable acts. Oedipus's slow uncovering of the truth of his birth, marriage, and kingship, and the dreadful punishments he and his unfortunate mother and wife exact upon themselves are masterfully retold here.

Like they Getty's previous publication, Sophocles' Antigone, Sophocles' Oedipus the King was handmade from start to finish at AMM Screens, a unit of Tara Publishing in India well known for its innovation and openness to production challenges. The paper was made from scratch, using cotton rags and assorted waste papers. After preparing the silk screens and shade-mixing the printing inks by hand, the craftsmen then spread or "pulled" the ink over the screens one at a time. In the end, the project took about a quarter million pulls to create. Once each screen was lifted, every newly printed page was dried over palettes. When finally dry, the loose leaves were hand-stitched together, edges trimmed to final size, and stuck to the cover using a water-based resin adhesive.

Learn to Draw & Paint by Curtis Tappenden (Watson-Guptill Publications) The definitive one-stop guide to the basics of drawing and painting! Perfect for fledgling artists who are eager to learn but short on time, Learn to Draw and Paint introduces a broad range of basic art techniques. From pencil and charcoal sketching to oils, watercolors, and pastels, and from still life to portraits, readers will be drawing and painting like experts by the time they're finished! In the drawing section, readers will receive hands-on lessons on working with line, contour, and pattern; scale and depth drawing; perspective exercises, capturing movement; and more. The painting section covers basic color theory; materials and mediums; using color to create mood; and tips for painting landscapes, buildings, figures, and portraits. What's more, a variety of mediums and techniques are integrated through each lesson, giving new artists the opportunity to experiment and exercise their creative genius.

Illustrating Children's Books : Creating Pictures for Publication by Martin Salisbury (Barron's Educational Series) The Drawing section was akin to Drawing 101 in college. It included wonderful lessons on drawing figures, animals and places. I enjoyed seeing real-world examples that showed the process from initial sketch through to the final polished art.
The section on Media, Materials and Techniques is interesting and comprehensive. Except for Watercolors, which got four pages, there are two pages for each type of media which amazingly provide clear working overviews of each media.
The sections on Character Development and The Picture Book impressed me the most. The inclusion of information on novelty and popup books as well as how to make a dummy book make this book a standout.
The Getting Published section was chock full of current, real-world information from an educator in the field not just a glossy cover of old text.
Surprisingly, I haven't touched on all the sections of this book (i.e. Illustrating for Older Children, Illustrating Poetry, etc.). 'Illustrating Children's Books' is a treasure trove of information. I recommend this book because it is concise, thorough, beautiful, insightful, informative and most of all practical.

Children's Art by Antje Tesche-Mentzen, Herlinde Koelbl (Prestel USA ) What can we learn from children's paintings and drawings? An extraordinary amount, as this charming and disarming volume of creations by young artists reveals.

This wondrous collection of paintings and drawings by children ages two to sixteen is compiled by a leading expert in teaching painting to children. From blobs and streaks in vibrant hues to pictures of people, buildings, and animals, to entire worlds precisely rendered, these paintings and drawings give shape to children's imagination and feelings. Unhindered by rules, children's artwork emerges straight from the heart, allowing them to connect seemingly disparate ideas and experience the pure joy of creativity. Highlighted by photographs of the young artists at work, this book will encourage readers to embark on an adventure of colors, shapes, and self-expression.

Paul Klee and Pablo Picasso were among the first artists to become fascinated by the rich worlds of colors and forms that await discovery in children's paintings. In the studio of artist Antje Tesche-Mentzen, children between the ages of two and six-teen are free to let their imaginations run wild and to paint whatever comes to mind. "Painting," says Antje Tesche-Mentzen, is "a license to be happy."

There's no such thing as "right" or "wrong," "talented" or "untalented" in her school of painting. The focus here is on something entirely different: namely, on painting as a creative act in which feeling, understanding, and form-giving merge into a seamless unity. When chil­dren paint, they give immediate and visi­ble shape to their feelings. Children can process impressions from a recent journey or give form to their fears and aggressive impulses. The results are fascinating, sur­prising, and thought-provoking pictures on a par with the artworks of great adult painters.

The well-known photographer Herlinde Koelbl observed these young artists at work, capturing the children in sensitive portraits. Reproductions of the children's artworks are accompanied by poetic texts written by journalist and poet Hans Krieger.

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