Her new book was just out at that time, called "The 3 Little Dassies", her African version of "The Three Little Pigs".
She stood up on the stage at Woods Cross High School and talked about her experience as she drew a beautiful picture of a small animal she fell in love with, called a dassie. Her charming personality and lovely demeanor really drew me in and she is now one of my "top 3 favorite authors and illustrators", along with Mem Fox and Patricia Polacco. Jan Brett has illustrated at least 40 children's books and authored most of them, which is truly amazing.
Here's what she said about her experience in Africa and her new book.
| "Once upon a time there were three little Dassie sisters --Mimbi, Pimbi, and Timbi. Just like the little pigs who built new homes, the sisters cross a desert in southern Africa to build their houses. "Welcome!" Says a smiling Agama Man. He is happy to see them, for he is the only one there, he tells them, except for an eagle. The Dassies shiver, but they stay. The very next day the eagle dives down to flap and clap and blow in Mimbi's grass house and carry her up to his nest. Back he goes for Pimbi. Then for Timbi. But Timbi outsmarts that pesky eagle as Agama Man attempts a daring rescue of Mimbi and Pimbi. Bold African patterns and prints fill Jan's stunning borders where that handsomely dressed man looks on. But it is the Dassies, in their bright colorful dresses and hats, that steal the show in this irresistible tale. My African version of the three little pigs' story began in 2007 when my husband Joe and I camped in Namibia in southern Africa. |
 | "One morning we climbed up and sat by a freshwater spring. Sunny on the reddish rocks were little rock Dassies, the cutest and most unusual creatures you can imagine with a big bump of a nose like a koala bear, bright eyes and soft fur. A redheaded Agama lizard came along and acted as if he owned the place. Then the shrill whistle of eagles overhead sent the Dassies running for cover. Eagles have a strong appetite for Dassies. |
"I went home with images of Dassies, the Agama lizard and eagles dancing in my head
until they became my characters, with the three little Dassies in dresses and flat turbans like the ones worn by the Herero women since Victorian times. Joe and I agreed that our trip had turned into a treasure hunt."
Jan Brett's artistic ability is unique and breathtaking in her many children's picture books. Each book
is illustrated with a border or "window" which gives clues to what the next page or part of the story will be about. The children love to tell me, when I'm reading, who will appear next or what might happen. If you haven't visited her website and you are a teacher, librarian, children's book lover, homeschooling mom or just curious, you are in for a treat. http://www.janbrett.com/index.html
Her site is filled with gorgeous drawings that children can color or paint, calendars of her
artwork, and much, much more. It's an adventure just to wander through the site and see all that is available.
(Set by a turtle pond in Hingham, Massachusetts)
ANNIE AND THE WILD ANIMALS--G.P. Putnam's Sons--(coming October 2012) (Set in Kittery Point, Maine) Books Written and Illustrated by Jan Brett BEAUTY AND THE BEAST--G.P. Putnam's Sons--2012  (Set in Jan Land - a made up place) HOME FOR CHRISTMAS--G.P. Putnam's Sons--2011  (Set in Arctic Sweden) THE 3 LITTLE DASSIES--G.P. Putnam's Sons--2010  (Set in Namibia, Africa) THE EASTER EGG--G.P. Putnam's Sons--2010  (Set in Norwell, Massachusetts) JAN BRETT'S SNOWY TREASURY--G.P. Putnam's Sons--2009  (Anthology) GINGERBREAD FRIENDS--G.P. Putnam's Sons--2008  (Set in Switzerland) HEDGIE BLASTS OFF!--G.P. Putnam's Sons--2006  (Set in Kennedy Space Center and in outer space) HEDGIE LOVES TO READ--Free Book!  THE UMBRELLA--G.P. Putnam's Sons--2004  (Set in Costa Rica) DAISY COMES HOME--G.P. Putnam's Sons--2002  (Set in Guilin, China) CHRISTMAS TREASURY--G.P. Putnam's Sons--2001  (Anthology) HEDGIE'S SURPRISE--G.P. Putnam's Sons--2000  (Set in Denmark) THE HAT--G.P. Putnam's Sons--1997  (Set in Denmark) COMET'S NINE LIVES--G.P. Putnam's Sons--1996  (Set in Nantucket, Massachusetts ) ARMADILLO RODEO--G.P. Putnam's Sons--1995  (Set in Fredericksburg, Texas) CHRISTMAS TROLLS--G P. Putnam's Sons--1993 
(Set in Bergen, Norway) TROUBLE WITH TROLLS--G. P. Putnam's Sons--1992  (Set in Bergen, Norway) BERLIOZ THE BEAR--G P. Putnam's Sons--1991  (Set in Bad Tolz, Germany) THE WILD CHRISTMAS REINDEER--G P. Putnam's Sons--1990  (Set in Norway) THE FIRST DOG--Harcourt Brace Jovanovich--1988  (Set in La Brea Tar Pits, Los Angeles, California) FRITZ AND THE BEAUTIFUL HORSES--Houghton Mifflin--1981  (Set in Salzburg, Austria) Books Retold and Illustrated by Jan Brett THE THREE SNOW BEARS--G.P. Putnam's Sons--2007  (Set in Baffin Island, Nunavut, Canada) HONEY...HONEY...LION!--G.P. Putnam's Sons--2005  (Set in Okevango Delta, Botswana, Africa) ON NOAH'S ARK--G.P. Putnam's Sons--2003  (Set in Okevango Delta, Botswana, Africa) WHO'S THAT KNOCKING ON CHRISTMAS EVE--G.P. Putnam's Sons--2002  (Set in Alta, Norway) GINGERBREAD BABY--G. P. Putnam's Sons--1999  (Set in Switzerland) TOWN MOUSE, COUNTRY MOUSE--G. P. Putnam's Sons--1994  (Set in Switzerland) THE MITTEN--G. P. Putnam's Sons--1989  (Set in Ukraine) GOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE BEARS--G. P. Putnam's Sons--1987  (Set in Jan Land - a made up place) Books Illustrated by Jan Brett THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS --G.P. Putnam's Sons--1998 
(Set in Stockbridge, Massachusetts) THE OWL AND THE PUSSYCAT--G. P. Putnam's Sons--1991  (Set in Martinique) HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR DUCK--Clarion--1988 THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS--G.P. Putnam's Sons--1986  (Set in England, Italy, France, Norway, Belgium, Poland, Russia, Germany, Hungary, Scotland, Spain, and America) SCARY, SCARY HALLOWEEN--Clarion--1986 MOTHER'S DAY MICE--Clarion--1986 NOELLE OF THE NUTCRACKER--Houghton Mifflin--1986 VALENTINE BEARS--Clarion--1983 ST. PATRICK'S DAY IN THE MORNING--Clarion--1980 | |
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