Annie, Gwen, Lilly, Pam, And Tulip

Originally published by the Whitney Museum in limited editions for collectors only, these books pair contemporary authors and artists. Both King’s and Kruger’s fans will find theirs an unusual and interesting collaboration. Others may be aggravated by the lack of subtlety. This personal story, about a boy’s introduction to an understanding of time by his grandfather, leaves little to the imagination. In fact, King has a habit of italicizing words for emphasis on nearly every page. His directness might be refreshing–indeed, this would have made a good children’s book–if it were not for the adult language and reference to minority groups that, although intended to enhance characterizations, may be interpreted as offensive. Elevating and contrasting with King’s quirky story are Kruger’s arresting and very contemporary graphics. Her sequential pictures tell a more evocative story than King’s words, and their fresh style adds to the immediacy of her message. More traditional in approach than My Pretty Pony , the collaboration between Kincaid and Fischl exemplifies the resonance that can be achieved between writing and the visual arts. Fischl’s loose, semiexpressionist female figures enhance Kincaid’s lyrical dialog of five girls coming into adulthood. Kincaid’s text is so appealing–showing a reverence, it seems, for Virginia Woolf’s The Waves –that it yearns to be read aloud repeatedly by both children and adults. Fischl’s lithographs illustrate the mysteries, fears, and revelations of the five young women as they share some time musing about love, life, and their futures. Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 6/15/89.
– Jean Keleher, Wally Findlay Galleries Lib., Chicago