Last summer Shelley featured the work of Simona Mulazzani. Today I received a review copy of I Wish I Had... illustrated by Simona Mulazzani. Written by Giovanna Zoboli, I Wish I Had... was originally published in Italy.
Mulazzani's jungle plants and cats, with their lush decorative color and smooth shapes, remind me of Henri Rousseau. Both text and illustration are evocative and playful. The illustrations match a variety specific wishes for the talents or qualities of various animals, from the "eyes of a blackbird to see every blade of grass," to the "contentment of a dog in winter when the snow falls outside." A little bonus comes with the endpapers, made from drafts and sketches of interior illustrations. Altogether stylish and fun to study, I Wish I Had... is a beautiful pairing of words and pictures.
Thank you to Eerdmans Publishing.
Title: I Wish I Had...
Author: Giovanna Zoboli
Publisher: William B. Eerdmanns Publishing Company
Release Date: March 2013