(Updated May 30th, 2012.)

The New York Times obituary of Maurice Sendak said the author and illustrator is “widely considered the most important children’s book artist of the 20th century.” As a result, we asked Red Roomers to blog about their favorite illustrated books, whether for adults or children.

Three posts stood out:

• Bursting into tears in the middle of Powell's City of Books in Portland may not seem like normal customer behavior, but I think Red Roomers will be able to relate to member Debbie Dunham's experience when she encountered a favorite of her kids. Enjoy "Chicka-Chicka-Boom."
• Author Jewelle Gomez's appreciation for her fellow Red Room author Jewell Parker Rhodes's Ninth Ward goes beyond their names' similarity. Read "A Picture of Survival" for the profound connection the book makes with post-Katrina New Orleans.
• Coming across The Little Prince in college meant that author DK Christi got to appreciate the profundity of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's book. Her lifelong joy in sharing it with readers of every age is beautifully expressed in her post "My Favorite Illustrated Book—The Little Prince."

These bloggers will receive two new books written and illustrated by Belle Yang, Summertime Rainbow and A Nest in Springtime. In English and Mandarin Chinese, Belle's bilingual board books celebrate the natural world with simple concepts and beautiful, bold illustrations. The New York Times said the Summertime Rainbow (devoted to colors) "will no doubt sate the needs of Tiger Moms and multicultural families alike. Happiest may be the child readers themselves who will relish the delicate gouache illustrations and the sensorial lushness of spring." A Nest in Springtime, about the number one to ten, is about a family of geese anticipating its goslings by counting eggs.

You can see all "favorite illustrated book" blog entries here. Please take a moment to find your favorites and leave a comment telling the blogger what you enjoyed about their story. Our previous blog topic wrap-ups are collected here. Thanks as always for blogging!

–Huntington W. Sharp, Senior Editor, Red Room