#22: Children's author/illustrator spotlight: Marla Frazee

Somehow I’ve gone my whole life without hearing of Marla Frazee (rhymes with crazy)! She is an immensely talented author/illustrator of children’s books, two of which have won Caldecott Honor medals.This past weekend I discovered her work by chance at our local library when I saw her book called “The Boss Baby” on the shelf. That's right, as in Alec Baldwin Boss Baby! I read it and was charmed. We love the manic energy of the 2017 movie, but the book has a sweetness all its own. It was fun to discover that the movie was inspired by this little children’s book and that the baby in a suit was Marla’s idea.

I grabbed the rest of her books off the shelf and put a bunch more on hold. I've been reading them with my two boys all week and below is our collective assessment of each title.

Written and Illustrated by Marla

Roller Coaster - We all loved this one. Marla began her career as an illustrator and she injects a lot of motion into the drawings in this book. I particularly enjoyed the visual storytelling of the 6 pairs riding the coaster. Just look at that grandma!

Two Boys Have the Best Week Ever (Caldecott Honor Winner) - It made me laugh out loud! It perfectly captured the "hellions one minute, tender the next" bipolarity of young boys and had a gorgeous sunset illustration. I think she hand-lettered all the text as well. So talented.

The Farmer and the Clown - The boys kept asking for this one. It stars a grumpy old farmer and a lost “clown” who’s really a young child. It is tender and we were touched by it. You will be too.

The Boss Baby - Such a clever idea! After reading it, my sons and I had a meaningful conversation about how much work they were as babies, which segued nicely into a conversation about how much work they are now. The haggard parents up in the middle of the night brought the message home I think.

The Bossier Baby - A worthy sequel! Cute updates in this one including the etch-a-sketch “iPad.”

I find her style endearing, don't you?

Illustrated by Marla but written by others

While more serious in tone, these books have strong messages and of course Marla’s beautiful artwork.

Stars by Mary Lyn Ray - So beautiful. Must have taken hours to create all the art. Each star is hand drawn! Definitely check this one out.

All the World by Liz Garton Scanlon (Caldecott Honor winner) - I got what it was trying to do, but it didn’t strike a chord with me. Even so, it's a beautiful book.

It Takes a Village by Hillary Rodham Clinton - I struggled to connect with this one, although I am sold on the premise that communities should have a common goal of helping children thrive.

God Got a Dog by Cynthia Rylant - I actually really liked this one even though I didn’t think I would. It’s a series of short vignettes that caused me to ponder my relationship with God and others.

She has many more books and I highly recommend her work. You can also watch this 4 minute documentary about her that shows her studio and inspirations: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqmtXKSg9q8

Keep chasing those dreams y'all!
Kyle