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A detail from the Redwall art listed in my ETSY shop.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/267553700/the-creatures-of-redwall-sleep?ref=listing-shop-header-2

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Getting this Redwall painting ready to offer at my ETSY shop. I love drawing otters!

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Autumn at Redwall Abbey

A little autumn for The Redwall fans.
When I began work on A Redwall Winters Tale, I created a series of very small thumbnail sketches immediately after my first read through. This image came directly from one of those sketches. 
I have included a jpeg of the image as it appears in the book with Brian's wonderful poem. I remember that he read that poem to me over the phone and I knew what he wanted-how he wanted the piece to feel. I think it came from a shared appreciation of this particular time of day and season.
The Thistledown troupe and stray travelers of Mossflower are making their inside the gates of Redwall Abbey where the lanterns are lit and the fires are already burning. The warmth and smell of cooking welcomes the weary travelers inside as the light slips up the mighty walls and great bell tower. 
This original art is currently available, though probably not for long, at my Etsy shop.

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The Rogue Crew follows the Hares of the Long Patrol and a band of sea otters as they join forces to stop evil Razzid Wearat from conquering Redwall. It's bittersweet, since the book was published after Brian Jacques passed away. Books mentioned in this post $7.99 New Mass Market add to wish list The Rogue Crew (Redwall) [...]

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This original artwork was commissioned by my late friend Brian Jacques for an exclusive, members only Redwall Readers Club Christmas Greeting card. This illustration is one of a kind and only a small number of reproductions exist. A rare piece for the avid Redwall collector! The artwork was created with Charcoal pencil on acid free paper and measures approximately 7 inches by 4 1/2 inches.

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Among those passing from us, two dear souls especially make me grieve. First is Margaret K. McElderry. At 98, she has left us. Her contribution to children's literature endures through her imprint. I'm honored to bear her name on my books.



Secondly, I miss Brian Jacques! With his family in the Northwest, we were able to see him speak in all his glorious voices to readers dressed with passion as his characters. What a heart he had! You might touch it in each of his books.



We send our love to the families and friends of Margaret and Brian. We will miss them both!

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I’m not telling you anything new by bringing this up now, but for those of you who may yet be unaware, the great Brian Jacques of the Redwall books passed away last weekend.  I only had the pleasure of meeting Brian once at an event at the Campbell Apartment, and he was charming.  I determined that the best way to speak to him was to bring up The Wind in the Willows, a book he adored.  When I mentioned the Pan chapter he became wildly enthused, quoting whole passages verbatim.  Later in the evening he would tell tales of fellow author and friend Paula Danziger (also deceased) and how she once leapt into a ball pen where she got firmly stuck.  There are a couple obits worth mentioning of the man.  Over at The Guardian Alison Flood recalls her talking animal phase while Julia Eccleshare writes his obit.  The Telegraph gave their two cents.  The Liverpool Echo had a great obit too, though it left me wanting to know more about the schoolteacher that taught Jacques, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison, so thank you @PWKidsBookshelf for the link.  Even the Audubon Magazine had a sweet take on the Jacques legacy (thanks to @MrSchuReads for the link).  Can’t say I’m the world’s biggest fan of this British cover, though.  A bit too symbolic for me.

Needs more fur.

• Speaking of British covers, I was a little surprised to see that the British edition of When You Reach Me (which they seem to have only just now brought over there in paperback) sports the same Sophie Blackall cover as the one we have here in the States.  Almost the same, I should say.  Can you spot the difference?

Someone explain that one to me, please.  I’m baffled.  Anyway, I think I like the Aussie cover best an

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It is with great sadness that I mention the passing of Brian Jacques, author of the beloved Redwall series (Philomel).  Jacques, aged 71, died of a heart attack over the weekend. Read more about his life and work here.

Though I confess I haven’t read any of the most recent titles in the 21-book series, I was a huge Redwall fan as a child.  Growing up, I’d play for hours in the woods behind my house, pretending that I was adventuring in Mossflower or preparing for a feast at Redwall Abbey.  I’m sure that the positive memories I associate with the Redwall books are echoed by kids and adults the world over.

So when I found out, I just had to draw mouse characters, including Mariel, my favorite Jacques’ heroine, in honor of the great storyteller (see above). And if I can lighten the mood just a bit on this solemn occasion, I thought the two reference photos that I used to make the sketch were pretty funny.

Eulaliaaa!!!

Filed under: sketches, teen books Tagged: brian jacques, mariel of redwall, mouse, obituaries, redwall

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Dick King-Smith

Brian Jacques

We're only five weeks into the new year, and already the children's book world has lost two giants. Dick King-Smith died on January 4th at the age of 88, and on Saturday, Brian Jacques, was felled by a heart attack. He was 71.

After learning that King-Smith had died, I went to my bookshelf and started rereading my favorite series of his, early chapter books that feature a small, but determined girl named Sophie. Yes, King-Smith is justifiably famous for his animal stories, most notably The Sheep Pig, which was made into the movie Babe, but the Sophie books, while not as well known, are just as good, at least to me.

The series starts with Sophie's Snail (when she's 4) and ends with Sophie's Lucky (when she's 8). Throughout all six books, the reader sees Sophie mature, yet her essential nature remains the same. Of small and of stocky build, she is determined, forthright, and as unstoppable as a bulldozer. She does not approve of lying or crying. And, from book one, her strongest desire is to be a lady farmer. In Sophie's Snail, she has to content herself with her herds and flocks of wood lice, centipedes, and other creepy crawlies. By book two, she has a pet cat named Tom (later changed to Tomboy after she produces a litter of kittens); book three brings not only a rabbit named Beano, a gift from Great-great Aunt Al, but a terrier puppy christened Puddle lands on her lap on Christmas Day. The series ends with her much closer to her dream of owning a farm than she--or her readers--might have imagined.

I devoured the books one after the other. At the end it was sad to realize that they'll be no more books from Dick King-Smith. I suppose now I'll have to start Brian Jacques' Redwall series. That one does have a final book, Roque Crew, due out in May.

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Soon after I started reviewing books I discovered the Redwall books, a series of stories about animals who have adventures, who battle evil doers, and who have the most marvelous feasts and celebrations. I fell in love with the wonderful characters, especially the moles (who have a delicious way of speaking) and the hares (who have bottomless stomachs). I was therefore very sad to hear that the man who created the Redwall Tales, Brian Jacques, passed away a few days ago. Here is a little information about this wonderful writer. He will be greatly missed.