© 1999  Terry Widener
Client: Gulliver Books/Harcourt Brace
Medium: Acrylic on Paper
Size: Various Sizes
Use: Children Book
Titile: "The Babe & I"

AWARDS

Society of Illustrators 1999 for the children books "Tambourine Moon" and "the Babe and I".
Smithsonian Best Children's Book list 1999.
Miami Herald Best Children's Books 1999.
ABA Pick of the List 1999, 2000-2001
Kentucky Bluegrass Award Winner.
Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award 2000.
2002-2003 California Young Reader medal

REVIEWS

Horn Book Magazine
The team that brought us Lou Gehrig: The Luckiest Man (rev. 7/97) has homered again with this upbeat yet
touching story set in 1932 during the Depression...
...Terry Widener's illustrations are reminiscent of the regional murals of Thomas Hart yet are definitely his own,
evoking the ambiance of the period without attempting a slavish imitation.
Carefully paced, remarkable for its unified focus, this is the kind of book that makes you want to buy season tickets.

From Publishers Weekly
"Widener's acrylics have a striking presence: their massy forms and jaunty, exaggerated
perspectives achieve a look that's both nostalgic and edgy...
Adler, previously paired with Widener for Lou Gehrig: The Luckiest Man, creates an
empathic but unsentimental portrait of life during the Depression...
Adler and Widener score big,their book reads like a labor of love."
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
"Widener's stylized acrylic illustrations bring the city streets to life in an appealing way.
The varied perspectives and exaggerated figures add excitement to the setting and the
images and use of color perfectly reinforce the story's changing moods and emotions.
A powerful picture book that's sure to be popular."
By STEVEN ENGELFRIED Steven Engelfried, West Linn Public Library, OR
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews
"Adler (also with Widener, Lou Gehrig, 1997, etc.) sets his fictional story during the week
of July 14, 1932, in the Bronx...
The acrylic paintings bask in the glow of a storied time, where even row houses and
the elevated train have a warm, solid presence. The stadium and Webster Avenue are
monuments of memory rather than reality in a style that echoes Thomas Hart Benton's
strong color and exaggerated figures."
Copyright ©1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Publishers Weekly
In the Bronx in 1932, a boy goes to work and ends up learning a great strategy for selling papers.
"Adler and Widener score big-their book reads like a labor of love," wrote PW. Ages 6-9. (Mar.)
Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Children's Literature
..." Love, respect, and responsibility (and the excitement of Babe Ruth) are interwoven in this picture book.
The expressive illustrations convey the Bronx in the 1930s. The first person narrative works well in this story
of the strong bond between a father and his son.

Riverbank Review - Margaret Willey
The Babe and I is an unusual picture book in that it depicts the coping skills of individuals
and families during 'hard times,' yet is not in the least depressing or disturbing. David Adler's
story is upbeat in a no-nonsense way that seems particularly fitting to the setting and the times...
Terry Widener's illustrations are stylized and cartoonish.
The Babe and I is a boy's story, a generous, friendly one with an understated message about carrying on against adversity.