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New Zealand artist Jane Seabrook has succeeded in creating one of the most charming and amusing gift books ever! Using captivating watercolor animal portraits to illustrate aphorisms, many of them with new twists, she puts life into perspective on many levels--and does so with panache. A precariously balanced coqui frog says, "I try to take one day at a time...but sometimes several days attack me at once." A baby alligator emerging from its egg states, "I didn't claw my way to the top of the food chain to eat roughage!" A hyperactive chipmunk announces, "It's been lovely. But I have to s c r e a m now." Seabrook's art techniques allow her to pull off a book which in the hands of a lesser, less painstaking artist might be just "cute." Her paintings are rich and meticulously detailed--beautifully drawn with a sable brush of a single hair. Piling up many layers of watercolor, she builds her drawings and achieves depth, yet somehow still manages to convey a sense of spontaneity. The eyes of each animal "character" sparkle with what appears to be secret understanding of the message. Whimsical and full of surprises, this is the perfect gift book, even (or maybe, especially) for curmudgeons. Mary Whipple
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