On Monday my bestie & I visited the Brandywine Museum of Art in Chadds Ford, PA to view their exhibit Rooted: Family and Nature in Contemporary Children’s Book Illustrations.  It was wonderful - so many amazing illustrators were represented in the exhibit including several recent Caldecott Winners. We had a great time not only enjoying this exhibit but also the entire museum.  It was the first time either of us had visited & we were amazed by the artwork we saw.  

If you know me at all, you know I love history & old farmhouses, so Sophie Blackall’s illustrations from her book Farmhouse immediately drew me in but let me tell you, all of the artists’ works were amazing. 

Two others I wanted to mention that I loved were The Train Ride is Long But My Mom Says it’s Worth It by Qing Zhuang from her book Rainbow Shopping. The book is filled with beautiful illustrations and colors depicting shopping in Chinatown in NYC.

Frank Morrison’s illustrations in The Secret Garden of George Washington Carver (written by Gene Barretta) had me studying each illustration to take in all their wonderful details. The one below, of George as a child reminded me of a modern day Maxfield Parrish painting - thankfully my bestie captured the image for me to share as I missed it.

Honestly every single illustrator featured had beautiful artwork.  Be sure to visit the museum’s Facebook page for a complete list & more video & photos of the exhibit (on exhibit until February 28th, 2024).

My bestie & I both came home with a few new books for our bookshelves including a few recent Caldecott Winners. I want to collect all of the Caldecott and Newbery Medal Books and read each & every one of them.  So this was my start - I came home with Owl Moon written by Jane Yolen and illustrated by John Schoenherr, which won the 1988 Caldecott Medal and Finding Winnie written by Lindsay Mattick with illustrations by Sophie Blackall, a 2016 Caldecott Medal Winner.  And of course, you know I bought Farmhouse by Sophie Blackall because the story and illustrations just spoke to me.  

PS The image of the boy & girl in the barn entry at the top left of this photo is exactly how my husband & I would be if we milked cows.  I have always wanted to live on a farm - him, not so much!