Obsessed

	We Love Lions 25 May 2010While I have been focusing on my own book, I had to put aside my plans to share other books here. In fact, I have started to wonder if I should abandon it altogether in favour of actually getting on with my other half-finished books. But then something like this comes along and I am very happy to have a home on my website for it. It's a book called "We Love Lions" by Inu.
	In it we see that lions can fight (taykanfayd good)...
	...have underwear (tayhave a unterwer)...
	...and are strong (the lions arhstong).
	They also help others (tayhelpotes). But is that lion simply helping others or is he helping OTTERS? What a sophisticated twist!
	Inu ends the book with a fine example of less is more. He shows how well lions can hide (tay kanheyd good) with only his ears and tails protruding from behind a bush. His tail waves us goodbye. Inu is a member of the "Seahorses" Preschool group who visited my Sozi exhibition. She listened to me read my book and talk about the hundreds and thousands of hours it took me to finish. And then she went back to his class, dashed off this work of art, and delivered it to me that afternoon. I am inspired. And just a little bit jealous.

Pictures by

Inu

Story by

Inu

Published by

The Seahorses

Found in

Berlin

	Jim Knopf und die Wilde 13 02 September 2010 When I read recently that The Neverending Story had been voted the most favourite German book of all time I was surprised. Not because I was expecting something by Goethe or Hesse, but because I didn't know The Neverending Story was German. And so began a wonderful series of discoveries – the kind of connecting the dots that I enjoy so much. My trip down memory lane (with obligatory visits to youtube) led me to discover the author, Michael Ende had earlier written stories about Jim Knopf and Lucas the Engine Driver. And of course, wouldn't you know it, one of those books was already sitting on my shelves. Unlike everyone else in Germany, I had absolutely no idea that it was a well-loved and famous book. I simply picked it up because of the fabulous (yet rather questionable in this day and age) illustrations.
	The more I read the more I loved. My favourite character is Tur-Tur who is lonely because he seems to be a giant from the distance, despite the fact that he is actually normal sized when you are right next to him. In this book he is gainfully employed as a lighthouse. But there is someone here for everyone – pirates, mermaids, a monarch called King Alfred the Quarter to Twelve and the polite bowler-hat-wearing Mr Sleeve. As if that wasn't enough, you can also watch Jim and Lucas as marionettes (with very inventive plastic sheeting waves). I'm sure to find Jim at every turn now that I know who he is. It's his 50th birthday this year after all.

Pictures by

Franz Josef Tripp

Story by

Michael Ende

Published by

K Thienemanns, 1962

Found in

Berlin

Wood
19 May 2010The wonderful season finale to Larry David's Curb your Enthusiasm asked "Do you respect wood?".

And I have to say: yes, yes I do.

On our teak sideboard you will find a Danish rooster – a device for offering pipe cleaners to your guests. (Strangely we don't have much call for pipe cleaning, so he displays a plumage of wooden chopsticks instead.)

Next to him is our Pinocchio puppet – the work of Argentinian artist Juan Pablo Cambariere – with his cone nose and one extra long arm.

And this rocking new family is from Mirek Trejtnar – who runs the Puppets in Prague workshop where we learnt to respect not only wood, but chisels.

In fact, I love wood so much that I have just designed a little wooden toy. But I need to find myself a lovely German Opa* to do some wood turning for me. Does anyone know someone with a lathe who like to adopt me?

*It's not the age but the spirit that counts.

Seen at

Home

Location

Berlin

	Bottersnikes and Gumbles 15 May 2010Time for an Australian classic: Bottersnikes and Gumbles. Bottersnikes (the mean looking ones) are the "laziest creatures, probably, in the whole world" and live in rubbish heaps along roadsides in the Australian bush. Gumbles, on the other hand, are cheerful and giggly "squashy things" who play a cat and mouse game with the Bottersnikes. Over and over, their friendliness leads them to be captured, forcing them to think their way out of enslavement. My favourite Bottersnike is Smiggles whose can dream up real things, and the winning Gumble is Tinkingumble who tinks up very good ideas. These images come from a three box set featuring Bottersnikes and Gumbles (1967), Gumbles on Guard (1975) and Gumbles in Summer (1979). Unlike other loved Australian stories like Blinky Bill and Snugglepot and Cuddlepie, these have not (as far as I know) been reprinted. Maybe it will take another generation before they are fully appreciated.

Written by

S.A. Wakefield

Pictures by

Desmond Digby

Published by

Collins Lions, Sydney
1967-1982

Found in

Sydney

	Back in Berlin 26 January 2010My sunburn is still peeling under layers and layers of warm clothes.

Location

Berlin

	I love a sunburnt country 26 January 2010It is purely a co-incidence that I am posting these images from our trip back home on Australia Day. To be honest, the reason I have to post these now is that I have to put them behind me (lest I start packing and book the next available flight back).
	Gold Coast, Queensland
	Sunshine Coast, Queensland
	Sunshine Coast, Queensland
	Great Ocean Road, Victoria
	Aireys Inlet, Victoria
	Montville, Queensland
	Townsville, Queensland
	Brisbane, Queensland
	Cedar Creek, Queensland

Visiting

Australia

	Der Zauberring 03 December 2009The Magic Ring is a Russian fairytale and although this book has been translated into English, my copy is in German (and lovingly dedicated "von deinen Bruder Frank"). It is filled with vibrant watercolour illustrations - their graphic style and composition furthered by the geometric elements throughout. They come into their own on the black "pixelated" end pages.

Pictures by

Michael Romberg

Published by

Artia, Prague
1972

Found in

Berlin

	Paper Lanterns in Berlin 11 November 2009 There isn't anything I can say about the twentieth anniversary of the fall of the wall, that hasn't been said more eloquently by many others. But tonight I was walking along Unter den Linden towards the Berliner Dom, amongst a procession of children holding paper lanterns...and the cold air and the warm glow made me fall in love with Berlin all over again.

Seen at

The St. Martin Day
procession and performance
of Martin's Cloak

Location

Berlin

	Puppies, Parties and Pretending 30 October 2009Today Mr Tom turned two. He demolished his two birthday cakes and then opened his present – which he promptly destroyed. We were relieved. It squeaked. As Mr Tom curls up exhausted on my lap, I remember David Attenborough's utter disgust at pet owner's who anthropomorphise their animals. Since anthropomorphising animals is pretty much what I do, I think I can be safe to assume he won't be visiting my website any time soon.

Seen at

Home

Location

Berlin

	Dogs 26 October 2009I used to be a cat person. But you wouldn't know it now. Today I'm admiring a well dressed chap on a Japanese new year card celebrating the arrival of the year of the dog, 1910. (Japanese Antique Post Cards for Greetings, Published by Graphic-Sha, 2003)
	My Czech favourites join us in a drunk conversation (by Jiří Trnka from Slunecni Prsten, Albatros, 1976)
	And share their healthy love of bones (by Adolf Born from Bilderbuch der Verführungskunst, Eulenspiegel Verlag Berlin, 1979).
	Despite my switch in allegiance, I still am not a fan of poodles. Though, this trouble-making Russian is a start. (by Vladimir Konashevich in Look how Absent Minded! 1931 from Russian Children's Picture Books in the 1920s and 1930s, Tankosha Publishing, 2004)

Pictures by

Various Artists

Published by

Graphic-Sha
Albatros
Eulenspiegel
Tankosha

Found in

Tokyo and Prague

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