Brazenmom

My Amelia-bug was born on December 4 and it made sense to make her first story the Christmas story. In utero she was exposed to a variety of literature; Steven King’s Salem’s Lot being her primary source of entertainment on many nights. We figured that it wasn’t the words that mattered as much as the sound of mommy or daddy’s voice, so a tale of love and vampires was as good as any. This Christmas, Amelia-bug sat on daddy’s lap and I read her the story of the humble birth of a mighty King, from The Lion Illustrated Bible for Children. This bible, Amelia’s first, is not at all a practical, baby friendly book in terms of language and design but it is beautiful. I am a sucker for children’s books, particularly ones that are beautifully illustrated. And this Bible is beautifully illustrated. A couple of years ago I purchased a children’s book called Women of Camelot: Queens and Enchantresses at the Court of King Arthur after falling on love with the book’s illustrations by artist Christina Balit. When I saw the cover illustration of the Lion’s Bible, I knew at once that it was the same illustrator – and I had to have it. Balit’s stylised illustrations are magnificently detailed, vibrant, beautiful watercolour works of art. I love the designy nature of the illustrations, many of which have inspired my own artistic endeavours. I cannot wait until my Amelia-bug is old enough to appreciate the beauty of colour and the way it can be manipulated to express ideas and moods. Balit’s works are a great place to start.

Other Children’s books illustrated (and some written) by Christina Balit:

• An Arabian Home: Leila and Mustapha’s Story, Christina Balit
• Atlantis: The Legend of a Lost City, Christina Balit
• Escape from Pompeii, Christina Balit
• Blodin the Beast, Michael Morpurgo
• Ishtar and Tammuz: A Babylonian Myth of the Seasons, Christopher J. Moore
• The Twelve Labours of Hercules, James Riordan
• Zoo in the Sky, Frances Lincoln, National Geographic, Jacqueline Mitton
• Women of Camelot: Queens and Enchantresses at the Court of King Arthur, Mary Hoffman
• My Sister Shahrazad: Tales from the Arabian Nights, Robert Leeson
• Everlasting Stories: A Family Bible Treasury, Chronicle Books, Lois Rock
• Once upon a Starry Night: A Book of Constellation Stories, Jacqueline Mitton
• The Lion Book of Tales and Legends published as Saintly Tales and Legends, Lois Rock
• Easter: The Everlasting Story, Lois Rock
• Zodiac: Celestial Circle Of The Sun, J Mitton
• The Scarab’s Secret , Nick Would
• The Adventures of Odysseus, Hugh Lupton and Daniel Morden
• King and Queens of The Bible, Mary Hoffman
• The Lion book of Wisdom Stories from around the World, David Self