Artist to Artist: 23 Major Illustrators Talk to Children About Their Art by Eric Carle is a book about picture book illustrators. The format is clear and easy to follow, especially by the children to whom it is targeted. But any fan of chidren’s illustration will enjoy this look at the work of 23 well known illustrators like Mitsumasa Anno, Tomie dePaola, Maurice Sendak and Rosemary Wells, all to be found on any bookshelf of classic children’s books. Each illustrator presents a self-portrait along with background on how and why he or she followed the path of children’s art, accompanied by a foldout page on their work. The book is written in an informal and conversational tone to make it easy for children to enjoy. This would be a great gift for any child who enjoys picture books, as well as those who love to do art.

Hardcover, 114 pages. Philomel, 2007. $19.80 at Amazon.

+ Artist to Artist at Amazon