The Art of Trina Schart Hyman

When I turned 8 years old, I had a large birthday party with everyone from my grade and even my teacher in attendance. (I lived in a small town so that puts the numbers into perspective).
My teacher gave me the following book:



The Everything Book: A Treasury of Things to Make and Do
by Eleanor Graham Vance
Illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman

I loved this book. I still have it. It is long out of print. I loved the crafts and ideas in it but the thing that I loved the most were the illustrations.

Thus began my love of the illustrations of Trina Schart Hyman.

In college, while I studied Children's literature, I bought the book



The Fortune Tellers
by Lloyd Alexander and illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman

The story is an original folktale from Cameroon. The story of a young man visiting -- and then becoming -- the village fortune-teller. The story is very good, and the illustrations are spectacular.

(Note: if you can get your hands on this book do! It is a feast for the eyes. It is also a wonderful book for folktale use as well as as for multi-cultural themes).






Since then I have expanded my collection of Trina Schart Hyman illustrated books. I love her drawings. They are spectacular. She has done many fairy tales. (A genre I love).

She is most well known for her books in which she has won Caldecott Awards:


















Saint George and the Dragon
Retold by margaret Hodgen
Illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman
Caldecott Medal 1985

Margaret Hodges retells the story of Saint George and the Dragon from Spenser's The Faerie Queene. The Red Cross Knight slays a dragon that has been terrorizing the countryside for years, bringing peace and joy back to the land.

She collaborated again with Margaret Hodges on two Arthuraian books.

The Kitchen Night: A Tale of King Arthur

 

Merlin and the Making of the King

This is a collection of three Arthurian legends with Merlin the wizard, and Arthur's rise to King of England. The stories include the witch Morgan le Fay, the traitor Mordred and the story of Sir Lancelot.

Little Red Riding Hood
retold and illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman
Caldecott Honor, 1984

I love this book so much I blogged about it here: My Obsession Little Red Riding Hood



Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblinsby Eric Kimmel and illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman
Caldecott Honor, 1990



A Child's Calendar
Poems by John Updike
illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman
Caldecott Honor, 2000








She also illustrated covers of some of my favorite novels.

Caddie Woodlawn
by Carol Ryrie Brink

A Midwife's Apprentice
by Karen Cushman

Matilda Bone
by Karen Cushman


Ronia, The Robber's Daughter
by Astrid Lindgren

But her illustrated fairy tales are my real favorites!


Swan Lake
as told by Margot Fonteyn
and illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman

The Sleeping Beauty
retold and illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman














Snow White
by Paul Heins illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rapunzel

Retold by Barbara Rogsky

Illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman

 

 

 

King Stork by Howard Pyle
Written and Illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman





Peter Pan
by J.M. Barrie
Illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman

This illustrated version is one of the best. The beauty of Trina's illustrations capture the sweet sadness of the story so well.











I ADORE this illustration of Princess Tiger Lily!!









A Child's Christmas in Wales
by Dylan Thomas

She had her illustrations in countless books. Seek her out next time you are at your favorite bookstore or library. This list is by no means representative of all that she did. It is only some of my favorites.

Lastly, she worked with Jean Fritz. She illustrated some of Jean Fritz's history books, which I LOVE!


Why Don't You Get a Horse Sam Adams?
by Jean Fritz
illustrated by Trina S. Hyman




Will You Sign Here John Hancock?
by Jean Fritz
illustrated by Trina S. Hyman


The Man Who Loved Books
by Jean Fritz
and illustrations by Trina Schart Hyman




One last one, just for fun!