Each of Iza Trapani's books is filled with humor and expands on the original nursery rhyme with illustrations, settings and the addition of animals. At the back of each of the nursery rhymes, is the music and verses. The illustrations in every one of these books is simply delightful and playful. All of these books are highly recommended as an addition to your child's library.
| Iza Trapani
|interview below| |
In her own words... |
Ages 4-8 (2000)
|
 In
1961, when I was seven years old, my mother and I sailed across the Atlantic
Ocean from Poland to America. My father, sister and brother
and my paternal grandmother all stayed behind in the tiny apartment in
Warsaw where the six of us had resided. Under Communist rule entire
families were not allowed to travel abroad so my mother took me, the youngest,
hoping for the opportunity to bring the rest of the family over at
a later time. Tragically, she died before fulfilling her dream. My father
died shortly thereafter. Due to extenuating circumstances I was unable
to return to Poland and twenty five years passed before I was re-united
with my brother and sister. I spent three and a half years in a Catholic
orphanage and then, after completing High School, moved to the Hudson River
Valley in upstate New York.
In the ensuing years I worked as a nanny, short-order cook and waitress while studying art at the State University in New Paltz. After graduation I continued to work various jobs: rock climbing guide, real estate broker, caterer and free-lance illustrator. But all along I had one dream- to make picture books, and my portfolio bulged with stories and related art for children - just hoping for that lucky break. For many years when blowing out candles on my birthday cakes it was my wish to someday illustrate a children’s book. Often I recall an incident while taking a real estate motivational course. When asked by the teacher to state my primary goal, without blinking an eye I had replied, “to make books for children”. She wasn't looking for that answer but to me it was a personal affirmation of my real dream. When my first book was published I jumped with joy. Now I am working on my fourteenth and still ecstatic. I have always loved children’s literature -from the wacky brilliance of Dr. Seuss to the timeless, love-filled classics of Margaret Wise Brown and a slew of others in between. The pure simplicity of words matched with enchanting illustrations is an irresistible combination and it has fascinated me all my life. As a child I spent hours reading books, immersed in their magic. These days I try to re-create some of that magic for others to enjoy. Every day I thank my lucky stars for the life I have with my loving
husband and stepson, our two overly affectionate dogs and cat, our new
farm in Rifton, New York where we are building a new house, and a career
that keeps me smiling. Looking back on my childhood in Poland, I feel that
I owe my family gratitude for fostering a creative environment in our home
and for instilling in me a love for books, language, art and music at a
very early age. I have vivid memories of sitting at our dining table in
that tiny apartment blanketing every scrap of paper, every newspaper margin
with my art. For the brief time that I knew my parents, their encouragement
and support left a lasting impression and contributed greatly to the realization
of my lifelong dream.
(All books are published by Whispering Coyote Press, an imprint of Charlesbridge Publishing) What Am I? An Animal Guessing Game (1992)
Other books I have illustrated: Tracy’s
Mess by Elise Petersen (1996)
Books in Progress: Baa Baa Black Sheep (Fall 2001) |
Row Row Row Your Boat 1999
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