Words and Images | Edward Ardizzone, The Young Ardizzone | From the Slightly Foxed bookshelves

‘There are many great children’s books, and many great illustrators of them, but comparatively few of which the author is also the artist. Two of the outstanding names among those few are Beatrix Potter and Edward Ardizzone. In their work words and images cannot really be separated . . . Of course The Young Ardizzone is not a children’s book, rather a book about childhood intended for adults, but here, as in the Lucy and Little Tim series, the integration of words and images is complete.’ – Huon Mallalieu in the preface to The Young Ardizzone

There can be few author-illustrators whose books are remembered – and still read – with such affection as those of Edward Ardizzone. And affection is the keynote of this charming memoir, The Young Ardizzone, which brings alive in words and pictures the comfortable Edwardian world in which Ardizzone grew up.

Like many colonial children, the young Ardizzones led a somewhat peripatetic existence, punctuated by visits from their mother once with a surprise new brother and sister in tow. But they grew up with a full complement of cheerful young bachelor uncles, great aunts and eccentric family friends – all beautifully and often poignantly captured in Ardizzone’s deceptively simple prose and delicately humorous drawings.

With Ardizzone’s work in mind, we thought we’d revisit some of our favourite illustrated Slightly Foxed titles this afternoon.

We were also delighted to hear from one of our subscribers, who sent us a photograph of a rather wonderful painting he did inspired, in part, by Slightly Foxed. Please do scroll on to see it.

With best wishes from the SF office staff

Isabel, Rebecca, Ruth, Edie & Jennie