This is not one of my usual posts. I simply want to bring attention to the heavy blow the world of children’s picture books had received.
I was going about my day doing research about how to choose an illustrator. I was looking for images of art I liked in order to show a potential illustrator to avoid confusion as to my hopes for my upcoming children’s books. In the process, I looked up some of the illustrators whose work I had appreciated growing up. These were frequently those who worked with Eve Bunting.
One of the first results my search engine brought up was that, Eve Bunting had died at the beginning of the month, at the age of 94. Here is the article.
Needless to say, that news effected me. Eve Bunting touched me, as I am sure she touched many, many others. Not just aspiring children’s book authors, but people in general have loved her books. Children grew up on them, as I did. She made her mark on the world and on people’s hearts, even if you take it only from the viewpoint of the impact of her books.
She is my favorite children’s book author. As far as I’m concerned, she was one of the best. I’m sure there are those who would question that point. It’s only natural. The choice of best author is often a matter of personal taste. She had her own particular way of writing which spoke to me, yet I am far from the only one and there are many who will agree with me.
On a deeper level, when I think about my goals as a children’s book author, she holds the standard. She is my hero. She is my inspiration.
Among the books I particularly remember are: One Candle, Sunflower House, and The Wall. (Note: I get no commission or affiliate payments for these recommendations. These are simply books I liked.)
Eve Bunting was a very prolific author, and I have no expectation that I will ever be able to reach that height. However, if I can reach and touch even a fraction of the people she has managed to reach and touch, then I will know that my writing efforts will not be in vain.
As I worked on this blog post, I have had to fight back the tears several times, often with little success. We have lost one of the greats, and she will be sorely missed.
I hope that this blog post will help others to enjoy the wonder of Eve Bunting, and that her legacy will continue to inspire others to touch the wonder of writing for themselves.