Suzy Lee Nabs Society of Illustrators' Gold Medal
RSSBy Rocco Staino -- School Library Journal, 11/07/2008
Suzy Lee, whose simplistic illustrations in the wordless book Wave (Chronicle) tell the story of a little girl’s day at the beach, is this year’s Society of Illustrators’ gold medal winner.
Silver medals were awarded to Kadir Nelson for We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball, (Jump at the Sun, Hyperion) and Bill Mayer for All Aboard: A Traveling Alphabet (S & S).
When asked to describe the illustrations in her book, Lee said, “The same dazzling sea wherever it is, the same jolly children wherever they are, and the same amazing play with waves make this book Wave.” The book’s official release is April, 2009.
Nelson said creating the artwork for We are the Ship was a seven year journey that began in 2000, when he created “epic size paintings of life in the Negro leagues.”
And Mayer spoke about the inspiration for his All Aboard alphabet book. “I have always loved the poster artists of the 1920’s. Their bold graphic images evoked the time and period and a sense of mystery about travel. I think what we ended up with is a fun homage to those early advertising artists”.
At the same time, Leo and Diane Dillon were given lifetime achievement awards and William Steig received the honor posthumously.
Each year since 1980, the Society of Illustrators highlights the best in children’s illustration with a show of original artwork published during the year. Winners are chosen by a jury of illustrators, art directors and editors, and this year's show features 122 books chosen from 650 entries submitted nationwide.
The society also recognizes promising new talent with its Founders Award, which this year went to Tao Nyeu for her book, Wonder Bear (Dial), the wordless story of two children who cultivate an enormous beanstalk-like plant and was the subject of her MFA graduate project .
The original art exhibit runs until November 26th at the Society’s headquarters at 128 East 63rd Street in New York City.
