1942 Honor by Wanda Gag: Nothing At All

1942 Caldecott Honor: Nothing At All

Story and Pictures by Wanda Gag

Previous Years of Honor: 1939 for Snow White (Caldecott) Honor 

I will refer you to the previous post for Snow White if you want to review Wanda Gag’s bio.  I thought that this time I would share with you another book I read, Wanda Gag: The Girl Who Loved to Draw.  If you like Wanda Gag as do I then this is a book worth looking at.  It is biography of her life in a children’s book.  We learn that art was always a part of her life.  She used to watch her father paint.  Just a fun book to take a look at.  I got a copy from the Pierce County Library.

Book Summary

                “Once upon a time there were little orphan dogs.  They were brothers.  They lived in a far forgotten corner of an old forgotten farm in three forgotten kennels which stood there in a row.”

Then one day two children arrive at the forgotten farm and find two of the brothers, and take them home.  The Third Dog, Nothing At All” misses his brothers and begins on an adventure to reunite with them.

Illustrations: Wanda Gag has quickly become one of my favorite author/illustrators.  I love her style of art and his fun descriptions.  In Nothing At All Wanda has illustrated a dog that is, “nothing at all, in other words invisible.  I find it very interesting to show nothing with something.  Wanda was able to take a white fuzzy ball and create an entire character out of it.  I love it!  I love to share these type of illustrations with children who think they can’t draw.  I say just look a white fuzzy circle became the main character!  It has personality and interest.  It makes you want to read more.

                Another piece of the illustrations that I enjoyed were the lines.  Yeah I know here I go again with lines.  But hear me out.  There are three dogs with the names Pointy, Curly and then of course Nothing at All.  When Wanda Gag goes to introduce each dot they have corresponding dog houses, which is cute but then she takes it to the next level, the grass in front of each dog house also reflects the dog, the bushes behind each dog house also match. This is done is such an effortless way that I didn’t even notice until after I had read the book thru and was on my second look.  What a delightful detail.

Art Medium: Lithograph

Final Thoughts:
1. Would this be a book I would pick up again? Yes
2. Would I recommend it to others to search out and take a look at? Yes
3. Would I spend my hard earned money on the book?  Yes
4. Where did I get the book? Pierce County Library
More info: 
http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Wanda_Gág