Well, here is our book pick for Thanksgiving and what a perfect book! The beloved and classic Thanksgiving poem by Lydia Maria Child (1802–1880), Over The River and Through the Wood, illustrated by Matt Tavares. We are touched by the beautiful and detailed illustrations and the loving attention to each inch of the book. This rendering is reminiscent of the old picture books of days gone by. Signed copies are available at Books of Wonder or you can purchase them here.
We caught up with Matt and his lovely wife and kids at Books of Wonder the other day. He also has two little girls, and mine and theirs all played together while Matt and I chatted and he dedicated our copy. This is what we we said:
Jeanne: What inspired you to illustrate a book to the poem, Over the River and Through the Wood? What sort of style did you base the illustrations on?
Matt: This one wasn’t my idea, it was my editor’s. After illustrating a version of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, Candlewick thought that Over the River and Through the Wood would be a perfect fit for me, and I agreed! I wanted the pictures to feel sort of like the old 19th century Currier and Ives prints, but I added elements to the illustrations to make them more appealing to kids, and not just scenic views of old New England. There’s a lot of room to expand on in this story and add fun subplots that are only in the illustrations, like the family dog chasing after the sleigh, and the boy losing his hat in a gust of wind. It’s fun to search each page for all those little details.
Jeanne: What is the best thing about your job?
Matt: I get to spend my days doing what I love to do – that’s probably number one. I get to travel to interesting places and I’ve gotten to meet some of my favorite authors and illustrators. I get to use my imagination every day.
Well, we will be sure to look out for it!
