From New York Times bestselling author-illustrator Oliver Jeffers, creator of The Day the Crayons Quit and Lost and Found, and typographical artist Sam Winston comes an exceptional new picture book.

I am a Child of Books. I come from a world of stories, And upon my imagination, I float.

In this inspiring, lyrical tale about the rewards of reading and sharing stories, a little girl sails her raft “across a sea of words” to arrive at the house of a small boy. There she invites him to come away with her on an adventure. Guided by his new friend, the boy unlocks his imagination and a lifetime of magic lies ahead of him. But who will be next?

Elegant illustrations by Oliver Jeffers are accompanied by Sam Winston’s astonishing typographical landscapes, beautifully shaped from excerpts of children’s classics including Treasure Island, Little Women and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, creating a gorgeous gift book perfect for readers of all ages, and this year’s must-have Christmas gift.

The opening line sums this book up nicely, ‘I am a child of books. I come from a world of stories’

This captivating children’s book follows a young girl as she takes a little boy on an adventure by opening his imagination. She teaches him that you don’t need to travel the world to have adventures, you can travel right from where you are sitting with the aid of books, as books are the perfect tools for letting your imaginative side flow freely.

The illustrations have been created with text from other children’s books, including Pinocchio, Rapunzel, Swiss Family Robinson and my favourite, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The text has been used to visually take you on the journey, alongside the hand written storyline. From the forest of fairy tales to the mountains of monsters, this book brings together numerous children’s books both old and new.

The book is very different to most children’s books. It is intelligently written, without many words. It gives you a master class in freeing your imagination, something which may adults have forgotten how to do.

The plot, so simple, yet so effective. The book is heart-warming and I loved it from cover to cover. Children will be intrigued, whilst adults will be taken back on a journey to their childhoods.

Oliver Jeffers makes art.

From figurative painting and installation to illustration and picture-book making, Oliver Jeffers’ work takes many forms. His distinctive paintings have been exhibited in multiple cities, including Lazarides Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery in London, the Brooklyn Museum and Spring Break Fair (Armory Week) in New York, and Gestalten Space in Berlin.

Oliver is from Belfast, Northern Ireland, and now lives and works in Brooklyn, New York.

www.oliverjeffers.com
@OliverJeffers
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Sam Winston’s practice is concerned with language both as a carrier of messages, but also as a form in and of itself. Initially known for his typography and artist books he employs a variety of different approaches, including drawing, data mapping and poetry.

A continuing theme is his exploration of the hidden narratives found in canonical bodies of text. Works such as Darwin’s Origin of the Species or classic nineteenth century children’s literature are often subject to data mining and cut and paste techniques, playfully revealing meta narratives and visual assumptions.

Other forms through which he achieves this are sculpture, collage and mark making. Winston is an advocate of concept-led, craft-based strategies as a means of learning. These element are often embodied in his participatory projects, seminars and lectures.

Winston has exhibited his work in museums and galleries around the world. Tate Britain, the British Library, the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., MoMA NYC and Stanford University, among many others, all hold his artists’ books in their permanent collections. He lives and works in London.

www.samwinston.com
@samwinston_
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