Here’s a really cute book from illustrator Andy Smith. The whole book is a row of funny characters shielding themselves from the rain. Each unique character is holding an umbrellas (aside from the guy with a really big hat and the woman who’s using a newspaper on her head) to protect them from the blue diagonal rain stripes. There’s a great variety of people and animals in Andy’s world with all different strange outfits, haircuts and accessories. My favorites are the woman doing the Can-Can, the hunched guy in a Batman costume holding a beer(?), and the dog with an umbrella hat. In the last spread the rain stops and everyone is looking up at the sky in disbelief. Andy hand silkscreens many little books like this which you can find on his site here. This one seems to already be sold out! Also check out the rest of his fun portfolio here.

© Julia Rothman 2007