I was thrilled today when this colorful book illustrated by André da Loba arrived! André da Loba is a maker of images, toys, animations, and is an amazing storyteller. He was one of the first, and also the best, teacher I had studying illustration at Parsons. André’s work shows so much illustration can be: in class he brought to life painted wooden blocks, built cardboard animals, and painted with brooms on huge paper. This book is no exception to André’s brilliance. O Arenque Fumado, or The Smoked Herring, is a poem by Charles Cros, originally published in 1872. Here, it is illustrated by André da Loba and published by Bruaá Editora. Inside the box, O Arenque Fumado begins with a colorful cover, scattered with bright little shapes. Every image is textured like a block print, and feels special. The book then opens out into a large yellow herring, filled with little shapes and images and text. You can purchase a copy of the book here — a delight even if you can’t read the Portugese text!

© Julia Rothman 2007