All posts filed under: Read

MAKIminimag_childrens alphabet_3

From A to Z : Animal Alphabet

Typography for Kids!!! Bubabu is a super fun and quirky alphabet designed for children . Every letter is imagined as a funky animal character. The story is featuring a monkey girl and pirate boy zooming around the galaxy for lost letters, every  animal letter having its own personal story. The illustrations are having a sligh vintage touch and lots of humour! Unfortunately I could not find the book – but at least there is a bunch of wonderful pictures to share for inspiration. More alphabets for children coming soon!   Images via Trendland       Like this:Like Loading…

MAKIminimag_First print issue_cover

The first print issue is on it´s way: MAKI minimag

Welcome to Issue One of MAKI minimag! After a year of hard work we are proud to present the first printed issue. Pre Order MAKI minimag via www.makiminimag.bigcartel.com Come along on a happy journey through the RAIN! More than 40 pages of stories, comics, spot-it games, riddles, recipes, experiments …. And an interview with a raindrop! For children to explore, read and look at. Alone or together with their happy grown-ups! Rain and rainy days don´t have to be boring or stupid: WIth MAKI minimag they can be surprising, fun, poetic and much much more… With artwork from: Steffie Brocoli (France), Sue Doeksen (Netherlands), Jana Glatt (Brazil), Yuliya Gwilym (Netherlands), Reka Kiraly (Finland), Agata Krolak (Poland); Elliot Kruszynski (UK), Saar Manche (Netherlands), Ola Niepsuj (Poland), Simone Porteder (Austria), Nanna Prieler (Austria), Sarah Vanbelle (Belgium) And contributions from international writers, editors and designers. Like this:Like Loading…

MAKIminimag_Listen Listen_Paul Rand_Ann Rand

Listen! Listen! by Ann and Paul Rand

  The beauty of everyday sounds.  Listen! Listen! by Ann and Paul Rand is a fascinating children´s book just about that, published in 1970. The “Blop” of a raindrop, the “Wham!” of a shutting door, the whisper of the wind in the trees, the “Crunch Crunch” of a toast. Ann Rand collects all those loud and quiet, happy and scary sounds and turns them into beautiful, rhythmic rhymes. Paul Rand accompanies the words with simple, striking (paper cut) forms, bright primary colours and funny little details. Such as the hammer next to the piggybank (Sparschwein/spaarvarken): nothing happens at the end (the hammer is used for building) but in your imagination you can hear the clattering sound of the breaking porcelain pig! But the best sound is….wait! Read, no: LISTEN YOURSELF!   But the noise I like the very best is early morning before sunrise because then (when I keep my eyes tigth shut) I can hear the world wake up. It´s a wonderful mixed-up sound. From far and near From air and ground it comes from all …

MAKI:minimag_Gaston_illustrated by Christian Robinson

Gaston – A bulldog & poodle mix up illustrated by Christian Robinson

Two dogs, a small bulldog and a little poodle are the main characters in this story from New York Times bestselling author Kelly DiPucchio and illustrator Christian Robinson.  What they learn? That family is truly about love and not looks! The tale is about four puppies: Fi-Fi, Foo-Foo, Ooh-La-La, and Gaston. Gaston does his best at his lessons on how to be a true poodle. He sips—never slobbers! He yips—never yaps! And he walks with grace—never races! Gaston fits perfect with his little poodle sisters. But then an encounter with a bulldog family in the park—Rocky, Ricky, Bruno, and Antoinette—changes everything. Obviously there has been a mix-up, and so Gaston and Antoinette switch their places. The new families look right…but they don’t feel right. Will the puppies follow their noses—and their hearts—to find where they really belong? Another funny, meaningful illustrated gem by our favourite Christian Robinson! In a video about the choices he made for the illustrations Christian Robinson points to the colours that challenge gender norms, the representation of coloured people  and the absence of traditional family structures  – in this case the missing of any father figures …

MAKI:minimag_Seasons by Blexbolex_Summer reading list

Summer reading list #5 : Seasons by Blexbolex

Today it is already the last book of our summer reading list: “Seasons” by Blexbolex. The illustrations about summer are so lovely and diverse that even if it is a book about all the four seasons we chose it for our summer reading list. On creamy-white paper a world of associative, silkscreen-like illustrations unfolds – about the cycle of nature and the different qualities of the seasons. Every picture is combined with a descriptive term in capital letters. “A picnic, a shadow, a camping”. “Seasons” shows general themes and things such as ice-cream, swimming pool and departure, but zooms in on small details as well, such as a sunburn, a forgotten towel or ant-trails.   Blexbolex is a French author, comics artist and illustrator. He has a special, highly experimental approach to printmaking and book production. His illustrations are quite poster-like, with simple shapes, bold colours and an overall retro-feel. Blexbolex has won prestigious awards as the Best Book Design at the Leipzig Book Fair 2009 and The New York Times Best Illustrated Book in 2010). If you want to know more …

MAKI:minimag_Stop Motion Pop-up book: A drop of water

Stop Motion Pop-up book: A drop of water

We just found this great stop motion pop-up book about the lifecycle of a drop op water: Revolution. Nature’s rhythms in masterful paper engineering. It is a quite modern and extraordinary way of 3D storytelling.  It all begins with fire – and ends with rain. And it just takes 1 minute and 45 seconds. Have a look: The project is a one year collaboration of photographer Chris Turner, animator Jess Deacon and paper sculptor extraordinaire Helen Friel. The book contains nine scenes that were animated using 1,000 photographic stills shot over the course of a year. From original idea to execution the three artists pooled their individual talents to bring the project to life. “Revolution” was chosen as a winner for a PDN Photo Annual Award and was also selected for the Fantoche International Animation Film Festival, the Melbourne International Animation Festival, the New Zealand International Animation Festival and London International Animation Festival. Like this:Like Loading…

MAKI:minimag_Under the ocean_summer reading list

Summer reading list #4 : under the ocean

Under the Ocean: That is where number 4 of our summer reading list brings us. After #1 about playing in the sand, #2 about the summer garden and #3 about an ABC of a sailor it is time to go diving. “Under the sea” is a beautifully designed pop-up book that plays the dichotomy between down and under, above the water and in the sea well. While on the top side you can find boats, ships, islands and harbours there is a totally different world under the surface: whales, fishes and turtles, divers and corals, icebergs and seashells. So: Climb aboard the red sailboat Océano and get ready to depart on an exciting expedition around the world! The scenery changes as the boat sails from a busy port to the icy Arctic, through stormy seas, on into an idyllic sunset. But it’s what lies under the ocean that will surprise and thrill you the most. “Under the ocean” combines inspiring pop-ups with cutting-edge illustration and design in a celebration of the splendors of the ocean. Anouck Boisrobert is …

MAKI:minimag_Playful_by MerMag_crafts for kids

Playful – A new Crafts for Kids book

Sometimes it is great to have some inspiration on what to do with your kids when they are in a crafty mood, the weather is bad or gifts have to be made. “Playful” is the perfect solution on all those occasions! “Playful” by Merrily Liddiard is  a new book about crafts for kids. It includes 26 different and fun projects to make with and for little ones. And they are all beautiful, simple and full of fantasy. Divided into five categories—Playful Dress Up, Playful Toys, Playful Paper Crafts, Playful Repurposing, and Playful Art—the book offers a collection of low-skill, high-style, low-cost projects. Merrily Liddiard, the author, is a blogger, an experienced mum and crafter herself and she shows how to emerge in  creative worlds together with your kids. Her crafts for kids ideas are all about encouriging playfulness, creativity and handmade magic. Play towns, animals masks, crowns, wooden blocks, puppet parades, fingerprint art and a pen holder – that is just a small handful out of the suggested projects. They are all stylish and made of simple materials, …

MAKI:minimag_ABC du marin_Virginie Morgand_summer reading list

Summer reading list #3 : ABC du marin

Today it is time for number three on our Summer Reading List: ABC du marin by French artist Virginie Morgand. A book full of wonderful illustrations, inspired by hands-on printing techniques and 50ies/60ies children´s toys and literature. The Paris based artist uses hand drawn shapes and bright colours to create vibrant images full of life and energy. Anchors, buoys, bulls-eye´s, pirates and parrots, lighthouses – it is all there in this blue, red and yellow sceneries. A perfect book for summer, like a little vacation and a graphic adventure in one. That is why we put it on our summer reading list. Virginie’s background is in animation but, having learnt how to screen print at L’atelier Dupont, she has developed her own visual language as an illustrator working for a growing number of clients. Recent projects include children’s books for book publisher MeMo, illustrations for The Sunday Times, Elle magazine, Barneys in New York, and front covers for Ballroom Review, The Parisianer and Erratum. If you want to see more of her fantastic work look over here. Like …

MAKI:minimag_summer reading list_Im Garten von Alain Gree

MAKI:minimag summer reading list – #2

We have compiled a little summer reading list with five of our favourite children´s books. Number 1 has been “Backe backe Kuchen”, about playing with sand. Number 2 on the MAKI:minimag summer reading list is “Heidi, Peter und der Garten” (Heidi, Peter and the garden) by French illustration hero Alain Grée. It is about Heidi and Peter visiting their uncle Bertram and his garden. In beautiful colours Grée shows  sorts of flowers in the garden, the different trees, tells about the vegetable garden and how you care for it. It shows the animals that live in a garden and features a little picture story about how an apple becomes a tree becomes an apple again. We love these vintage illustrations in bold 60/70ies  colours and their naivety of form. There are other books of Alain Grée (which are available in English) which are great for a summer reading list. There is “Nature”,  a compilation of books, including, amongst others, ‘On the farm’ and ‘In the forest’. In simple words it tells children about the different flora and fauna they …