“When I look through Bob Staake's illustrations, I see many things. He has a keen sense of layout, a wonderful grasp of weight, and a deftly-maneuvered forward motion in his frames. His artistic skills are undeniable and so pleasing to look at, yet these are not what make his pictures so masterful. When I look through his images, a consortium of geometrical shapes and rich colors, I imagine that this is exactly how the world looks to his young readers. Things are simple—caracaturized in a larger than life way—and actions are absolute. His collection of visuals paints a
larger picture of the minimalistic way kids see and exist in the world; not weighed down by complications, but driven by honest goals and reachable dreams.
Staake's newest book, Bluebird, is a wonderful example of this ideology— wordless book in which a quiet, introverted young boy finds a friend in a small bluebird. Stakke manages to capture the meaning of friendship in a few simple spreads.”
—Emily Stage, Mockingbird Books, Seattle. Emily is the author of Emily’s Illustrator Spotlight in the store’s monthly newsletter. Buy Bluebird from Mockingbird—gotta love it.
