Robert Munsch
Unwrapping
"Classic Munsch 123"
by Robert Munsch
illustrated by Michael Martchenko
* Age Range: 2-4
* Grade Level: PS-K
* Series: Classic Munsch
* Board book: 32 pages
* Publisher: Annick Press (March 5, 2019)
* Language: English
Unwrapping some fabulous illustrations for you to enjoy
Unwrapping some interesting facts about Robert Munsch
( in random order)
Unveiling the book
I love this Canadian author and illustrator and one look at their resumes will confirm that thousands of others feel exactly the same way. Their books are always happy and funny and kids can't get enough of them.
Munsch's new book in the " Classic Munsch" series is another winner. All his beloved characters from the past are featured in it, supporting him in his effort to teach kids how to count 1 through 12.
A high-spirited text housed in a sturdy board book is partnered with illustrations that are action-packed and simply delightful. They are full of colour, expression and detail. The large, colourful numbers dance through the pages introducing young readers to the skill of numeracy.
Together, with its previous marvel, Classic Munsch ABC, you will discover that a perfect gift has materialized. I highly recommend this book one that will delight both the young and the old.
Meet Robert Munsch
Robert Munsch is one of North America’s best-selling children’s authors. His books are staples of any child’s library. All together they have sold over 30 million copies, and have been translated into over a dozen languages.
“I got into it backwards!” is Munsch’s reply to questions about how he became a children’s author. That’s because he makes up most of his stories on the spot, and tells them over and over before he writes them down. Munsch is bursting with ideas—though he says it sometimes takes him years to get a good story.
Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Munsch studied for seven years to be a Jesuit priest before deciding to work with children instead. For the next five years he taught in a variety of nursery schools and daycare centers while he earned an M.A. in early childhood education. In 1975, Munsch and his wife, Ann, moved to Guelph, Ontario, where he became an associate professor of family studies and teacher at the University of Guelph’s preschool. During this time his reputation began to grow.
Munsch has gained wide international recognition for his books and records. The Paper Bag Princess became the kids’ book of the ’80s, and Murmel, Murmel, Murmel won a Juno Award in 1985. In 1986, Thomas’ Snowsuit won the Ruth Schwartz Award, and Munsch himself won the Canadian Booksellers Association’s “Author of the Year” in 1991.
What do people like about Munsch’s stories? They’re contemporary and zany, reflecting “a jaunty belief in the power of children,” says Horn Book. To celebrate the publication of The Paper Bag Princess twenty-five years ago, Annick Press released The Paper Bag Princess 25th Anniversary Edition (2005) which has the complete storybook, how the book came to be, and never-before published original sketches.
Every year Munsch receives thousands of letters from young fans. He likes to meet the children who send him mail, which sometimes leads to another story. Of his hectic touring schedule, he says simply, “I love it! One of the nicest things about my job is traveling across North America and meeting all kinds of people.”
A little bit about the talented illustrator
“I try to give the kids in my illustrations spunk and make them a bit defiant; they’re always sticking out their chests and standing up for themselves. Did you notice how in Thomas’ Snowsuit Thomas causes the school principal’s hair to turn whiter in frustration as the story progresses?” asks Michael Martchenko in a Quill & Quire interview.
Michael is recognized as one of the fastest illustrators in the country. According to an interviewer in Applied Arts Quarterly, “Such rapidity seems to suit the artist’s joyful sense of spontaneity.” Michael immediately breaks down a manuscript into a storyboard. He explains: “As I read, I get all these great pictures in my mind. I think about funny situations, and then start sketching.” After he has completed a rough, it takes approximately another four hours to create a finished drawing. For most of his books, Michael likes to use watercolor and pencil, as well as a generous dose of his own visual humor.
Before he became a children’s book illustrator, Michael had already launched a successful career in advertising. Fortunately for fans of children’s literature, the Annick Press publishers and Robert Munsch saw Michael’s work—a scene in a park featuring pigeons equipped with landing gear—at a graphic arts exhibition, and felt that anyone with such a playful imagination should illustrate children’s stories.
Since 1980, the year he worked with Robert on The Paper Bag Princess, Michael has illustrated over 30 books for children and has exhibited his work throughout North America. He won the Ruth Schwartz Award for Thomas’ Snowsuit in 1986, and has won additional awards for design and illustration.
To celebrate the publication of The Paper Bag Princess twenty-five years ago, Annick Press published The Paper Bag Princess 25th Anniversary Edition (2005) which has the complete
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