The Whimsy of William Steig

 

            Among the most beloved and honored of all children's literature are the books of William Steig, 1907-2003. He was a cartoonist and illustrator who was highly successful in the grownup world, with more than 1,600 drawings and a sparkling career as a cartoonist for The New Yorker. He turned to writing and illustrating children's picture books at age 61 and went on to rave reviews as one of the best of all time.

Steig combines whimsical animal characters in imaginative and challenging situations where you end up really pulling for a happy ending, and always get it. His language is rich and witty, his humor and irony are sparkling, his characters are memorable, and his themes get to the heart of the inner life of a child. According to reviewers over the years, his stories deal with children's fears of separation from parents, loss and abandonment, crisis and peril. Yet the emotional turmoil always gives way to a pleasing resolution, and the story lines are humane and insightful.

 

            Among his greatest works:

 

            Shrek! An ugly green ogre finds his true love and humorous adventure through the quest for a beautiful princess, who turns out to be another ugly green ogre; this tale became a highly successful motion picture.

 

 

           

            Dr. DeSoto, about a mouse dentist who has to exercise great ingenuity and self-reliance to treat a hungry fox.

 

 

            Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, about a donkey who accidentally turns into a rock and it takes a mysterious, wonderful coincidence to resolve the problem.

 

 

            Abel's Island, about a mouse in a smoking jacket stranded on an island after a storm.

 

            Steig was one of the most vivid characters in American art circles in his own right. Born in an immigrant family, he was an All-American water polo player in college, carved world-class wooden figurines, and is credited with inventing the tongue-in-cheek "contemporary" greeting card.

 

            Learn more about him and his work on www.williamsteig.com Note the reading guides to some of his books that offer your child activities to expand the enjoyment and learning from these one-of-a-kind tales.