View from a Sketchbook: Nature Through the Eyes of Marjolein Bastin

Marjolein Bastin is one of my favorite artists. Every year I buy her weekly planner calendar. I just purchased 2 of these books, one for me and one as a gift. I would buy this book if only for the illustrations, they are glorious!

Great illustrations and a wonderful book!!! Gave this as a gift to a friend and was told that they truly enjoyed it. So, I would have to recommend this to anyone who is truly a nature lover!!!

"View from a Sketchbook" is a lovely album of watercolors by Marjolein Bastin, the illustrator of the children's books starring Vera the Mouse, and Tovah Martin, who kept a journal of Marjolein's nature walks during a full year from spring through winter. They spent the year at the Bastin's home in a carefully tended patch of Missouri prairie, visiting the Bastin's old home in Ede in central Holland, and on vacation on Grand Cayman.There are three dozen full-page illustrations and numerous little sketches, sometimes just a single bumblebee or eggshell. You can see the love and care that goes into every little detail. Even the list of contents is terminated with a tiny ladybug. And the cover of the book underneath the dust jacket is decorated with a frieze of Canada geese with a family of chicks. This is an exquisitely beautiful book from the rabbit on the first page to the Giant Swallowtail on the last.