Gustav Glows with Gold

Gustav Glows with Gold (Little Pink Dogs) Kathy Creamer & Patricia Ward PB RRP $24.99 9780645418477

Reviewed by Karen Hendriks

Kathy Creamer is a widely published award-winning children’s picture book writer and illustrator. Her work has been published by Oxford University Press, Reed International, and many other publishing houses.

Patricia Ward is an illustrator who loves exploring colour and playing with positive and negative spaces. Her work is vibrant and whimsical and has an underlying sense of a narrative.

Gustav Glows with Gold is a creative non-fiction picture book about Gustav Klimt, a famous Austrian artist, who adored using glittering gold leaf to enhance the colours, patterns, and form of his artwork. Inspired by the beauty of Byzantine art and by his father’s intricate work as a goldsmith, Gustav decided to use gold leaf in his paintings.

Kathy Creamer’s opening sentence transcends time and takes a young reader back to Vienna and into the magical studio of Gustav. Her words evoke emotion and imagery and place with alliteration, carefully chosen verbs, and lyrical language. Gleaming and twinkling, tiny flecks of golden fire floated through the air in Gustav Klimt’s art studio in Vienna. Just as Gustav’s focus was on gold, so is Creamer’s. Her words capture the essence of the artist but also his enraptured focus on the colour gold. The elusive gold leaf specks make the whole book feel magical as every spread takes a young reader into a Gustav’s special world of artistic wonder.

Just as Gustav’s works glowed with gold, so too did, Gustav and his studio. His beard, hair, face, hands and painter’s smock would shimmer with wisps of golden yellow flame. There is a simplicity and yet a beauty in the words Creamer uses. I love the spread where Creamer describes the different golds. Gold. Glittering gold. Yellow Gold, Rose gold. Warm gold. Burnished gold. Textured gold. The heart of Gustav shines with Kathy Creamer’s words. He hardly dared breathe in case a puff of air gave the golden wisp flight, and it would float away like an elusive butterfly.

Patricia Ward’s illustrative style shines out from the stunning golden front cover which immediately draws attention. The exquisite detail to Gustav, his cats and his use of gold leaf beams out for all to see. The first endpaper captures the flight and magic of the goldleaf and the last endpaper features Gustav’s studio and golden art. The standout feature of Ward’s illustrations is the careful attention paid to detail. The visual narrative adds layers and meaning to the story. Gustav’s cats were treasured and feature as additional silent characters.

The gold leaf dances everywhere. Without words mentioning the artworks, the visuals do the talking showing what they looked like and how some were created. The sunlight streaming in the studio and the whimsical quality of the illustrations really makes this book feel magical. Gustav is depicted as kind and quite shy and his face speaks volumes to a reader. The touches of arrays of paintbrushes and shelving really bring Gustav’s world to life.

Gustav Glows with Gold is a creative non-fiction picture book that is a wonderful read for children 4-8 years.  Those children interested in art and biographies will really enjoy this book. The topic is universal and ageless so the book is timeless and adds to its appeal.

Big Boss

Big Boss by Dianne Bates, illustrated by Patricia Ward (Little Pink Dog Books) HB RRP $24.99 ISBN: 9780648964063

Reviewed by Dannielle Viera

Inspired by Max from Maurice Sendak’s beloved children’s book Where the Wild Things Are, a boy decides to take command of the monsters living in his bedroom: Creepy Critter, who ‘hides on the windowsill’; Heeby Jeeby, who hangs out in the clothes’ cupboard, and Toe Taster, who ‘likes to nibble juicy little toes’. The youngster makes the monsters dance, grovel and smile, and tells them not to bother kids anymore. ‘Yes, Mr Boss, sir,’ they respond … but is the boy really the Big Boss? Not when his mum is around!

Kids from four to twelve years of age will relate to Dianne Bates’s fiendishly funny tale. A twist on the ‘monster under the bed’ trope, the story delves into childhood anxiety and how to overcome it. By being assertive, bringing his fears into the light and making them wibble and wobble until they fall foolishly to the ground, the protagonist shows young readers that there is ‘nothing to be afraid of’ when you are the boss of your world.

Patricia Ward’s bold illustrations are dark and dramatic, perfect for a story that is largely set at night. This paves the way for a brilliant contrast when the creatures come out of hiding, as their bright colours visually diminish their potential scariness. Look out for Patricia’s monstrous moon: it is one of the most striking images in the book.

 An eye-catching tome that emboldens even the most timid of readers, Big Boss is sure to elicit giggles from the first page until the last. It leaves kids contemplating an uplifting truth: ‘You can be boss of anything.’

Big Boss

Big Boss is a new picture book written by Dianne Bates, illustrated by Patricia Ward, published by Little Pink Dogs. 

At bedtime a small boy checks his bedroom for monsters like Heeby Jeeby, Creepy Critter and the Toe Taster. Satisfied they are not there, he jumps into bed with his teddy bear. Before saying goodnight to his babysitter, she reads him a story about a boy just like him who tames monsters.  “I want to be a Big Boss, just like Max,” the boy whispers. During sleep the monsters appear. But who is the big boss? The boy? Or the monsters? And next morning, before school, who is the boss? 

The Glint of Gold

The Glint of Gold by Kate McGann, illustrated by Patricia Ward (Little Pink Dog Books) HB RRP $24.99 ISBN: 9780648964032

Reviewed by Dannielle Viera

If you look carefully, gold can be seen peeking from the centre of white plum-tree blossoms, dancing along the icy edge of winter leaves and glowing in ‘the colours the sun spreads as it goes to bed’. But gold is not just a hue – it’s the sound of the family singing together, the smell of the bush after summer rain, and the touch of bare feet on grass. The perceptive protagonist experiences a wealth of golden moments every day, particularly when she is helping others. She goes to bed happily every night, ‘knowing that tomorrow, more gold will be found’.

Gilded with lyricism, Kate McGann’s tender text takes children aged four to ten on a gentle journey into the beauty of mindfulness and gratitude. The predominant use of present tense draws the reader’s attention to the value of living in the here and now, rather than wistfully wishing for future prosperity. By focusing on simple elements and actions that kids encounter every day, Kate encourages them to appreciate the many small but significant things that can generate joy.

With a rich colour palette and a dynamic interplay between light and dark, Patricia Ward’s illustrations offer plenty of drama for little eyes to behold. Kids will delight in searching each image for the ‘glint of gold’, and this will stand them in good stead when they seek the glimmer in their own lives. They will especially love the characterisation of the dog receiving a massage, as its flapping ears and lolling tongue fill a whole page with sheer bliss.

As heartwarming as a hug from your mum, The Glint of Gold is the pot at the end of the rainbow brimming with promise and positivity. It gives young readers hope that even on their darkest days, they will find that every cloud has a golden lining.