Jan Pieńkowski
Winner of the Kate Greenaway Medal for illustration (twice), Jan Pieńkowski is best known for Haunted House, his pop-ups and the Meg and Mog series, created with Helen Nicoll. His other work includes wonderfully evocative silhouette books such as Christmas and Easter, in the incomparable King James version. For the very young, he has written and illustrated the Nursery Books in bold and brilliant colours.
Books
Dinner Time
Author: Jan Pieńkowski; text by Anne Carter; paper engineering by Marcin Stajewski and James Roger Diaz
Publisher: Orchard Books
Interest age: 3-5
Reading age: 5-6
This pop-up classic from Pienkowski’s 80s heyday showcases his accessible snappy-jaws paper crafting, at a time when not many other artists or publishers had really embraced the genre. Full of humour and anarchic dynamism, it's a treat to read to little ones.
Faces
Author: Jan Pieńkowski; lettering by Caroline Austin
Publisher: Walker Books
Interest age: 2-3
Reading age: N/A
Happy, sad, angry, shy: Jan Pieńkowski explores all manner of facial expressions and emotions in this bright and original book for toddlers, full of his trademark bright, thick-outlined illustration.
Good Night: A Pop-Up Lullaby
Author: Jan Pieńkowski; paper engineering by Helen Balmer and Martin Taylor
Publisher: Walker Books
Interest age: 3-5
Reading age: 5-6
This joyously varied big hardback pop-up picture book uses rhyme to weave a raft of unusual animals into the bedtime routine, reminding us that maybe snuggling down will actually be quite fun.
Haunted House
Author: Jan Pieńkowski
Publisher: Walker Books
Interest age: 3+
Reading age: 5+
Enjoy a tour of this spooky old house where a spine-tingling surprise lurks in every dark corner.
I'm Cat
Author: Jan Pieńkowski
Publisher: Walker Books
Interest age: 1-2
Reading age: N/A
The autumnal colours in this clever yet simple board book (shaped like a cat’s head, with ears) are full of warmth, making this a perfect book to share with babies.
In The Beginning: Best Loved Bible Stories
Author: Jan Pienkowski
Publisher: Walker Books
Interest age: 7+
Reading age: 7+
In this collection of Old Testament stories, Pienkowski uses the original text but illustrates the stories with his inimitable psychedelic punk art style, highlighting the drama and magic of these old tales.
M.O.L.E: Much Overworked Little Earthmover
Author: Russell Hoban and Jan Pieńkowski
Publisher: Red Fox
Interest age: 5-7
Reading age: 6-8
Mole’s tale of our world from the Christian creation myth to modern times is an unusual but thought-provoking combination of cute animal narration with biblical references and environmental undertones.
Meg and Mog
Author: Helen Nicholl
Illustrator: Jan Pienkowski
Publisher: Puffin
Interest age: 2+
Reading age: 5+
In this the first story about much-loved characters Meg the witch and Mog her cat, the pair go off to a wild Hallowe'en party with all the other witches
Meg at Sea
Author: Helen Nicoll
Illustrator: Jan Pieńkowski
Publisher: Puffin Books
Interest age: 2+
Reading age: 5+
Meg, Mog and Owl go sailing, but when there is no wind Meg makes a spell to make it blow more strongly and inadvertently brews up a storm
Meg Comes to School
Author: Author Helen Nicoll
Illustrator: Jan Pienkowski
Publisher: Puffin
Interest age: 3-5
When Meg attends Owl's school sports day in a very unusual hat, everyone is in for a big surprise!
Meg Goes to Bed
Author: Helen Nicoll
Illustrator: Jan Pienkowski
Publisher: Puffin Books
Interest age: 2+
Reading age: 4+
Meg, Mog and Owl are a beloved addition to any picture book collection and this quirky fun tale is no exception.
Meg in the Jungle
Author: Jan Pienkowski & David Walser
Publisher: Puffin
Interest age: 2-4
It’s Mog the cat’s birthday and she makes a wish… to go to the jungle! Jan Pienkowski’s artwork is full of bold colour, character and pizzazz in another simple, quirky story about everyone’s favourite picture book witch and her cat.
Numbers
Author: Jan Pieńkowski; lettering by Caroline Austin
Publisher: Walker Books
Interest age: 2-3
Reading age: N/A
This bright and original counting book for toddlers is full of Pieńkowski’s trademark bright, thick-outlined illustration.
The First Noel: A Christmas Pop-Up
Author: Jan Pienkowski
Publisher: Walker Books
Interest age: 6-11
Reading age: 6+
From the moment that Mary conceives Jesus to his birth in a humble stable, the Nativity is depicted simply and with great beauty in this five double-page spread pop-up book. A delightful gift book.
The Glass Mountain: Favourite Tales from Poland
Author: Retold by David Walser Illustrator: Jan Pienkowski
Publisher: Walker Books
Interest age: 6-10
Reading age: 7-10
Jan Pienkowski was born in Poland, a land replete with folk tales and with a cultural tradition of paper cutting, which he has utilised in his artwork for this beautiful book of darkly wonderful Polish fairy tales.
The Odyssey
Author: David Walser Illustrator: Jan Pieńkowski
Publisher: Puffin
Interest age: 6-11
Reading age: 7+
Homer’s classic Greek tale, The Odyssey, is retold for a contemporary audience in this thrilling picture book for older readers. It is an epic tale of gods and goddesses, violent battles and fearsome monsters, presented in bold collage illustrations.
The Thousand Nights and One Night
Author: David Walser (retold by) Illustrator: Jan Pienkowski
Publisher: Penguin
Interest age: 7-11
Reading age: 8-11
The Thousand Nights and One Night are full of classic tales of intrigue, trickery, love and magic. Retold by David Walser with spellbinding full-page illustrations by the inimitable Jan Pienkowski.
Yes No
Author: Jan Pieńkowski; lettering by Caroline Austin
Publisher: Walker Books
Reading age: N/A
Yes/no, light/heavy, in/out, alive/dead: Jan Pieńkowski explores all manner of opposites in this bright and original book for toddlers, full of his trademark bright, thick-outlined illustration.