Inspirations, Part 2

In 1988, E.P.Dutton published this little gem by newcomer Lucy Cousins, well before Maisy and the success that followed. Portly was a rather tubby little penguin who always wore his striped hat, until the day Stuart the stinky seagull stole it. I remember taking to this book right away -- Lucy's line was so immediate and unrefined which had a refreshing, childlike quality to it, especially when compared to the lavish "Picture Book Studio" style of books that were hugely popular at the time in the late '80s. As I mentioned in a previous post, in those days, I'd write to anyone whose work I admired, and voila! Ms. Cousins responded with a very nice note and this little drawing of Portly eating his "squishy fishy dinner." Her second book to be published in the United States, "The Little Dog Laughed" (later renamed "The Lucy Cousins Book of Nursery Rhymes") with its black outlines and bold colors, remains one of my favorite nursery rhyme collections. Sadly, I think both of these books are out of print now!