Lee won me over with Wave and she brings it home again with her newest title, Shadow. Lee is incredible at her craft, which is probably why Shadow placed on
The New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Book of 2010.
In Wave, a little girl enjoys a day at the beach. The book is wordless, but that does not matter because the illustrations are animated enough to capture every aspect of joy the little girl feels with seagulls as an audience and the ocean waves as a playmate. The illustrations are not overdone and the colors, black and blue, are perfectly suited to this story. The book itself is designed with the reader in mind-- a slim and horizontal--so that when opened the two page spreads capture the stretch of beach along the shore.
Lee’s new book Shadow (nearly wordless), appears to bring back the same little girl from Wave. This time she is set upon exploring her family’s attic—that mysterious room, that can evoke curiosity from any child. Once the light comes on, the shadow play begins. The little girl starts simple, with a shadow bird, but then the most ordinary objects become a snake or a wolf. The animals soon take on a life of their own and the adventure only ceases when a voice calls the little girl down for dinner. The illustrations are in black and yellow—symbolizing the shadows and light from the bulb. Lee once again creates a unique design, where the book is meant to be held top to bottom—the top has the little girl and the items in the attic and the bottom are the shadows.
I only expect more great things from Suzy Lee.
Lee, S. (2010). Shadow. San Francisco, CA.: Chronicle Books.
Lee, S. (2008). Wave. San Francisco, CA.: Chronicle Books.
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