“… They all breathe hard from the run. A little harder than usual, because of what is looming above them: the long staircase that leads to the parlor of Zia Pia,
fortune-teller and healer.”
Last week at
Kirkus, I chatted
here with
John Bemelmans Marciano about his new series, illustrated by
Sophie Blackall,
The Witches of Benevento. I follow up today with some of Sophie’s art from the books.
Enjoy!
(Click to enlarge)
“Witchonary”
(Click to enlarge)
“The entire family knocks over dishes and chairs in a mad dash out of the house,
a swarm of bees in pursuit. …”
(Click to enlarge)
“On stormy nights the Janara ride / To the walnut tree that sits beside / The Bridge of Ancient Ages. / Demons stoke the fires and bear witness / As the Witches fly off to do their mischiefs, / Sending people into rages.”
(Click to enlarge)
Book Two’s map
(Click to enlarge slightly)
“CLANK clank clank! goes the mighty sword.
Or rather, tik tik tik goes the long, thick stick. Primo is just saying ‘clank clank clank.'”
“‘Look, we need to do something, Primo says …. ‘Forget hanging salt on the doorknobs and Zia Pia’s spells and potions. We need to take matters into our own hands!’
‘And how can we do that?’ Emilio says.
Primo’s answer: ‘Augurs.’ ‘Otters?’ Rosa says. …”
“‘Got one!’ Rosa shouts. She lifts her spear triumphantly.”
(Click to enlarge)
The Walnut of Benevento by Giuseppe Pietro Bagetti
(from the website’s “Album of Inspiration” page)
From the website’s “The REAL Benevento” page
Sophie’s school-visit drawings
(Click each to enlarge)
* * * * * * *
Illustrations are copyright © 2016 by Sophie Blackall and used by her permission.
June 16th, 2016 by jules
