Little Sketches

The Missing Golden Ticket and Other Splendiferous Secrets

A new Dahl book:

Miranda Mary Piker, described by author Roald Dahl as “a horrid little girl who was disgustingly rude to her parents and also thoroughly disobedient,” is one of several “nasty children” who didn’t make it into the final version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory when it was published in 1964. Fans can make her acquaintance at last in The Missing Golden Ticket and Other Splendiferous Secrets, which includes “Spotty Powder,” the deleted chapter featuring Miranda. Due from Puffin next month with a 75,000-copy first printing, the book also contains biographical and autobiographical tidbits about Dahl’s life and writing, as well as art by Quentin Blake.

Ignatius Press Children's Books

From Catholic News Agency:

Ignatius Press announced on Monday that they are launching a collection of illustrated Catholic books for children, with the first eight to be released in October 2010.


The company has partnered with Magnificat in publishing a series of Catholic books that will “capture the imagination of children of various ages through delightful full-color illustrations, exciting stories from the Bible and lives of the saints, and simple yet powerful prayers,” read a press release on Aug. 16.

Rabbit & Possum Sketches

Patricia Neal (wife of Roald Dahl) dies at 84

From the New York Times:

... During her affair with Cooper she became pregnant and had an abortion, according to the autobiography “As I Am” (1988), written with Richard DeNeut. “If I had only one thing to do over in my life,” she wrote, “I would have that baby.” Eager to have children, she married Dahl in 1953, even though she did not love him then, she wrote in her autobiography. A former R.A.F. fighter pilot who became a renowned writer of often darkly humorous children’s books (“James and the Giant Peach,” “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”), Dahl took control of Ms. Neal’s life. After their four-month-old son, Theo, was left brain-damaged when his pram was crushed between a taxicab and a bus on a New York street in December 1960, Dahl decided that they would move to the village of Great Missenden in England. Two years later, their eldest daughter, Olivia, who was 7, died of measles encephalitis, perhaps for want of sophisticated medical care that would have been available in a big city.

Gli Amici di Gesú

A children's book from Pope Benedict! It is only currently available in Italian though:

The book is composed of passages taken mainly from the Pope’s Wednesday general audiences, and tells the tale of Jesus’ first friends and disciples. Its 48 pages are illustrated by Italian artist Franco Vignazia, and it features a prologue by Spanish priest Father Julian Carron.

I also found Joseph and Chico a while back; a biography of the pope written for children.

Terrifying Children's Book Art of Japanese Monsters by Gojin Ishihara

Great work! Children's books don't always have to be happy tales about fuzzy, big-eyed creatures. 

"I came across a gallery of Ishihara's work today, mostly from the 1972 children's book "Illustrated Book of Japanese Monsters," in which the prolific artist drew pictures that I'm guessing were explicitly designed to scare the living hell out of the kids who read them."

Read the whole article here.