Bringing to life such well-loved storybook characters as Anansi the spider, Epossumondas, and Jackalope, children's book illustrator and writer Janet Stevens creates artwork for numerous books written by prominent authors. She has illustrated her own retellings of traditional stories, and has collaborated with her sister and fellow author Susan Stevens Crummel as well. Using artistic media such as pastel crayon, pencil, color pencil, and watercolor, Stevens is especially noted for her humorous illustrations that feature likeable animals. Her work as an illustrator has been described by Booklist re- viewer Denise M. Wilms as "strong, showing a sense of movement, composition, and drama similar to that found in [noted illustrator Paul] Galdone's most successful works."
Stevens was born in 1953, in Dallas, Texas, but was raised in such places as Virginia, Rhode Island, Florida, and Hawaii because her father was a career naval officer. After finishing high school, she earned a degree in fine arts from the University of Colorado, graduating in 1975. Involved since then in such creative endeavors as advertising, textile design, and illustrations for architects, Stevens has translated her early love of drawing into a career that has filled her life.
Beginning in 1999, Stevens began collaborating with her sister, Susan Stevens Crummel. Their third book, My Big Dog, tells the story of a family cat who is accustomed to ruling the roost. When a new puppy comes along, though, the cat thinks they cannot be friends and decides to run away. After a series of adventures, the dog comes to rescue him, and the two go home together. A reviewer for Publishers Weekly called the story an "irresistible tale," and praised Stevens's effectiveness at showing the cat's inner life through illustrations. In a review for School Library Journal, however, Martha Topol noted that the cat's moping might cause "readers' interest and sympathy … to wane."
Several of the Stevens sisters' joint efforts have taken place in the world of nursery rhymes and expanded or retold familiar stories. Cook-a-Doodle-Doo! tells the story of a rooster, the great-grandson of the Little Red Hen, who sets out to make a strawberry shortcake from a recipe in his great-grandmother's cookbook. In an echo of the Little Red Hen story, the first few animals he asks for help refuse, saying, "Not I," but he soon finds enthusiastic, if somewhat inept (and unusual), helpers in Turtle, Iguana, and Pig. The animals learn about teamwork as well as about cooking and following a recipe, and readers can make their own strawberry shortcake with the recipe and cooking tips provided. A critic for Kirkus Reviews felt that "though entertaining, the story is not seamless in its many functions," but praised Stevens' "hilarious illustrations." Hazel Rochman, writing in Booklist, called Cook-a-Doodle-Doo! a "gloriously illustrated picture book … with parody and puns and nonsense slapstick that kids will love."
Another continuation and expansion of a familiar story can be found in And the Dish Ran away with the Spoon. One evening, Dish and Spoon run away and do not return, and Cat, Dog, and Cow must go find them and bring them back for the next evening's reading of their rhyme. They make their way through an enchanted landscape filled with literary landmarks, visual puns, and other well-known characters. As Carolyn Phelan wrote in Booklist, "children who know their nursery rhymes … will best appreciate" this rich picture book. A reviewer for Horn Book called it "an inventive, amusing farce that blends elements of Gilbert and Sullivan with Monty Python and Mel Brooks." Several reviewers praised the illustrations but pointed out that young children may not understand the puns and double meanings. However, as Rosalyn Pierrini wrote in a School Library Journal review, "those sophisticated enough to get it will love it."
One of the Stevens sisters' collaborations resulted in the publication of Jackalope, the story of a jackrabbit who wants to be fierce. His fairy godrabbit gives him horns, but they come with a Pinocchio-type curse, and the entrance of Coyote into the tale adds further conflict. Stevens' unique illustrations for this tale combine watercolors and colored pencils with photographs and collage. Although a critic for Kirkus Reviews calledJackalope "a labored slog through a confused tall-fairy-tale landscape," other critics had more positive reactions. A Publishers Weekly reviewer remarked favorably upon "the double ending, the puns, and the artwork," and Cris Riedel, writing for School Library Journal, found that "the nutty plot, sympathetic characters, and handsome illustrations make for a roaring good time."
Dogs looking for advice are the focus of the sisters' Help Me, Mr. Mutt! Expert Answers for Dogs with People Problems. Dog counselor Mr. Mutt offers solutions for the pets who write to him about their problems, such as owners who put their pooches on diets or neglect to take their animals on long walks. Much to the annoyance of "The Queen," Mr. Mutt's feisty feline counterpart, many of the canine's suggestions include denigrating cats, leading to an eventual run-in between the two parties. "Art and text work seamlessly," thought Booklist critic Stephanie Zvirin, who predicted the title would appeal to readers young and old. In a review for School Library Journal, Maura Bresnahan commented favorably on the book's "multi-layered story" and suggested that Help Me, Mr. Mutt! would most likely be enjoyed by "more sophisticated readers who will recognize the amount of effort that went into this creative venture."
A pig-tailed preschooler receives a special present, a stuffed animal made from an old plaid shirt, from her grandmother in Plaidypus Lost, but consistently loses it during her daily activities. Every time the girl realizes her toy has gone missing, she sets everyone in motion to find it, promising not to ever lose Plaidypus again. However, the youngster continues to forget the creature, leaving the toy in a lake and even accidentally throwing Plaidypus out the car window. While a few critics expressed reservations about the book's "aggressive, over-designed pages," as a Kirkus Reviews contributor described them, other critics found the layout an appealing feature of Plaidypus Lost. Writing in Booklist, Jennifer Mattson thought the author/illustrator's use of "digitally collaged elements … add[ed] texture without cluttering the clean, open compositions." A Publishers Weekly reviewer also found the artwork appealing: "Set against crisp white space, Stevens's watercolors capture the heroine's personality."
Stevens and Crummel continued their use of unusual page layouts in The Great Fuzz Frenzy, inviting readers to view vertical and horizontal illustrations on fold-out pages. When a bright green tennis ball falls into a prairie dog burrow, the underground rodents fall in love with the colorful fuzz, adorning themselves with it until they pluck the ball bare. The scarcity of the fuzz not only leads to a war among the prairie dogs but also causes one of them to forget about nearby predators. "Only the Stevens sisters could create such an over-the-top tale about fuzz," remarked Julie Cummins in Booklist, while a Publishers Weekly critic claimed Stevens "endows her furry cast with winning goofiness." Other reviewers also found delight in the author/illustrator's depiction of fuzz, with School Library Journal contributor Lisa Gangemi Kropp suggesting that Stevens' "marvelously rendered mixed-media illustrations … capture the true fuzzy nature and greenish glow of the ball."
In 2002, Stevens illustrated the first of Coleen Salley's books about the hapless possum Epossumondas, using the author herself as the model for the animal protagonist's human mother. In Epossumondas, readers are introduced to the title character, and to his often misguided attempts to follow the advice of his Mama.School Library Journal contributor Jane Marino praised Salley's text and took note of Stevens's "delightful watercolor and colored-pencil art." A Kirkus Reviews critic commented that while readers familiar with Salley's work as a storyteller will recognize "her signature tale … it is the lively, outsize illustrations that spark the story."
More tales about Epossumondas have followed, including Why Epossumondas Has No Hair on His Tail and Epossumondas Saves the Day. In the former, the young possum wants to know why his tail is skinny, pink, and hairless, unlike most other animals. To explain why, Mama Possum shares with Epossumondas a story about his great-great-grandfather who forgot to share stolen persimmons with his friend Hare. Angered by papa possum's greediness, the rabbit informs the owner of the persimmon tree, a bear, the identity of the thief. Bear catches the marsupial by his tail, stretching the once fluffy ball into a long, hair-free whip. "Stevens' signature mixed-media illustrations humorously concoct the delightful fun," claimed Booklist critic Julie Cummins. Other reviewers thought the book's pairing of text and colorful illustrations make the title a natural selection for reading aloud to children. Wrote Joanna Rudge Long in Horn Book, "Stevens's big, boisterous illustrations fairly leap off the page, nicely suiting them for the group-sharing the tale demands."
When Mama Possum runs out of "sody sallyraytus," or baking soda, in Epossumondas Saves the Day, the lovable possum must find a way to the store or else he will not have biscuits for his birthday treat. Though a dangerous snapping turtle has devoured everyone his mother sent before him, Epossumondas uses his wits to escape the same fate and rescue his family from the hungry turtle. "Stevens's art is right in the comic spirit of things," wrote Long in a Horn Book review, while School Library Journal contributor Lee Bock found "Stevens's hilarious mixed-media illustrations … a perfect match for the narrative."
Stevens once told SATA: "I treasure humor a great deal, and enjoy drawing animals in people situations. Facial expressions, clothing, movement, and accessories help make the animals become distinct personalities. Putting the diaper on Epossumondas brought him to life for me, and gave him his individuality; similarly, Jack doesn't need his glasses when he's transformed into Jackalope.
"I've always loved to draw and read—and I love children—so what a great combination for a career in illustrating and writing children's books!"
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