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Kirkus Star
THE KIRKUS STAR
Awarded to Books of Exceptional Merit


Books by Seymour Chwast

THE ODYSSEY by Seymour Chwast
GRAPHIC NOVELS & COMIC BOOKS
Released: Sept. 4, 2012
adapted by Seymour Chwast
"A quick, breezy read through a cornerstone of literary tradition."
The renowned illustrator and graphic designer continues his series of classic adaptations, with diminishing returns. Read full book review >
BOBO'S SMILE by Seymour Chwast
Released: April 15, 2012
by Seymour Chwast, illustrated by Seymour Chwast
"Unfortunately, the well-meaning message is delivered by a character whose lack of affect has no likely appeal for the intended preschool audience. (Picture book. 3-5) "
A particularly poker-faced clown searches far and wide for happiness after the circus closes, only to find it after a most unexpected and unpleasant event. Read full book review >
GET DRESSED! by Seymour Chwast
Released: April 1, 2012
by Seymour Chwast, illustrated by Seymour Chwast
"A clever, dapper package. (Picture book. 2-6)"
A fashion lookbook for the preschool set—including a soup pot and a skirt made of envelopes? Read full book review >
THE CANTERBURY TALES by Geoffrey Chaucer
Released: Sept. 1, 2011
by Geoffrey Chaucer, adapted and illustrated by Seymour Chwast
"Not quite the achievement that the Divine Comedy was, but a work that finds an artistic common denominator for Chaucer and Chwast."
As a follow-up of sorts to his illustrated Dante's Divine Comedy (2010), graphic artist Chwast embraces a kindred spirit in Chaucer. Read full book review >
DANTE’S DIVINE COMEDY by Seymour Chwast
GRAPHIC NOVELS & COMIC BOOKS
Released: Sept. 1, 2010
Kirkus Star
adapted by Seymour Chwast, illustrated by Seymour Chwast
"An achievement kindred to R. Crumb's Genesis (2009), though less literal and more compressed."
In his first graphic novel, one classic artist channels another. Read full book review >
MIRACLES OF THE BIBLE by Josh Hanft
RELIGION
Released: Oct. 1, 2007
by Josh Hanft, illustrated by Seymour Chwast
"The added surprise of these fold-out pages makes this volume a memorable way to introduce these key Old Testament stories. (Nonfiction. 4-8)"
Hanft and Chwast team up again for another collection of Bible stories, following their Miracles of Passover (2007). Read full book review >
THE MIRACLE OF HANUKKAH by Seymour Chwast
FICTION
Released: Oct. 1, 2006
by Seymour Chwast, illustrated by Seymour Chwast
"Additional fare for the holiday shelf. (Picture book. 4-6)"
Earthy, muted watercolor drawings with blue outlined cartoon-styled characters show the Hanukkah story, from the looting and destruction of the Temple to the Maccabees' victory to the eight day miraculous burning of one day's supply of oil to the prime significance of the word "Hanukkah." Read full book review >
HAD GADYA by Seymour Chwast
HOLIDAYS & FESTIVALS
Released: March 1, 2005
adapted by Seymour Chwast, illustrated by Seymour Chwast
"Backmatter includes the musical score and the original Aramaic version with suggestions for dramatic acting, as well as a good explanation by Rabbi Michael Strassfeld on the history and symbolic meaning of the song. (Picture book. 3-7)"
"Had Gadya" or "One Little Goat" traditionally brings the annual Passover Seder to a close as families jubilantly sing each portion over and over again. Read full book review >
MY DADDY AND ME by Jerry Spinelli
FAMILY AND GROWING UP
Released: April 8, 2003
by Jerry Spinelli, illustrated by Seymour Chwast
"Douglas Wood's What Dads Can't Do (2000). (Picture book. 5-7)"
Renowned novelist Spinelli (Loser, 2002, etc.) offers a healthy dose of hero worship in his picture-book debut. Read full book review >
MR. MERLIN AND THE TURTLE by Seymour Chwast
ANIMALS
Released: Aug. 1, 1996
by Seymour Chwast, illustrated by Seymour Chwast
"The humor is never pushy and always on target. (Picture book. 4+)"
 Mr. and Mrs. Merlin are bored with their pet turtle, so Mr. Merlin turns it into a bird. Read full book review >
THE TWELVE CIRCUS RINGS by Seymour Chwast
ANIMALS
Released: March 1, 1993
by Seymour Chwast, illustrated by Seymour Chwast
"Ingeniously constructed and designed with panache: a delightful addition to the genre. (Picture book. 3-9)"
 The graphic designer who created The Alphabet Parade (1991) returns with an even more ebullient counting book patterned on ``The Twelve Days of Christmas'': ``In the fifth circus ring, my sister saw with me five dogs a-barking, four aerialists zooming, three monkeys playing, two elephants, and a daredevil on a high wire''—and so on, each spread exhibiting, for each of the numerals, new acts and performers, all of whom the reader is challenged to add up, variously, at the end. Read full book review >
MATHEW MICHAEL'S BEASTLY DAY by Deborah Johnston
ANIMALS
Released: Oct. 1, 1992
by Deborah Johnston, illustrated by Seymour Chwast

 When Mathew Michael wakes up, he feels (and, in Chwast's boldly outlined picture, looks) like a sloth; at breakfast, he's a hungry bear; then he's a timid rabbit boarding the school bus, a tyrannosaur who gets in trouble on the playground, and so on- -until he becomes a boy ready for tucking in and an animal story. Read full book review >
THE ALPHABET PARADE by Seymour Chwast
ABC BOOKS
Released: Sept. 1, 1991
by Seymour Chwast, illustrated by Seymour Chwast
"Crisp, clean design, amusing detail. (Picture book. 3-7)"
 A cheerfully inventive array of characters march across the airy white space of this generously sized, square book, observed by a continuous row of spectators who also contribute to the fun and to the letter connections— which are listed at the end (as few as four for ``Xx,'' 35 for ``Ss''). Read full book review >