Tag: C. Walter Hodges

Illustrators of Rosemary Sutcliff’s historical fiction, re-tellings, and children’s stories books (up-dated) | 1950-95

Anthony Lawton3 Comments

Charles Keeping, Grendel from Beowulf

I am inching forwards in compiling a complete listing of all the illustrators of Rosemary Sutcliff’s historical novels for children and adults, and of her writing for children (and others). I think this is now  accurate  – but does not yet cover book covers – but would as always welcome comments and improvements to the updated list. I think it may now be complete? But I need to move on to editions outside the UK. All help welcome.

Illustrators  are:  Lazlo Acs, Victor Ambrus, Michael Charlton, Emma Chichester Clark, Richard Cuffari, Shirley Felts, C Walter Hodges, Jane Johnson, Charles Keeping, Richard Kennedy, John Lawrence, Richard Lebenson, Alan Lee, John Vernon Lord,  Alan Marks,  and Ralph Thompson. The books they illustrated were:Read More »

Historical and children’s novelist Rosemary Sutcliff’s Brother Dusty Feet excerpt chosen in collection of adventure stories for ten year olds

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Good morning, and Happy Father’s Day , at least in the UK…

I have been sorting my shelves of books connected with historical novelist and children’s writer Rosemary Sutcliff –  from her research library, the collection of titles and books which I inherited from her, and those I have acquired since her death in my role as her literary executor. (It it must be done, for we are moving house.)

Adventure Stories for Ten Year Olds, chosen by Helen PaibaAdventure Stories for Ten Year Olds ( Macmillan Children’s Books, 2001) was ‘compiled’ by Helen Paiba, and illustrated by Douglas Carrel. According to the blurb, Helen Paiba was “known as one of the most committed, knowledgeable, and acclaimed children’s booksellers in Britain.” For “more than twenty years she owned and ran the Children’s Bookshop in Muswell Hill, London, which under her guidance gained a superb reputation for its range of children’s books and for the advice available for its customers.” In 1995 she was awarded the Eleanor Farjeon Award, given for distinguished service to the world of children’s books.The story from Rosemary is an extract from Brother Dusty Feet (Oxford University Press, 1952, pp  23-33). It begins Read More »

Illustrating Rosemary Sutcliff

Anthony Lawton3 Comments
Charles Keeping illustration Rosemary Sutcliff book
By Charles Keeping

Rosemary Sutcliff’s books were  graced with the work of major British illustrators: Charles Keeping, Alan Lee, Victor Ambrus, C Walter Hodges, Richard Kennedy, Ralph Thompson, and Emma Chichester Clark. The books they, and others,  illustrated included:   Read More »

C Walter Hodges was Illustrator of early Rosemary Sutcliff historical novels

Anthony Lawton9 Comments

Frontispiece Rosemay Sutcliff's The Eagle of the NinthC. Walter Hodges who illustrated some of Rosemary Sutcliff‘s early novels, including The Queen Elizabeth Story (1950), The Eagle of the Ninth  (1954), and The Shield Ring (1956) died in 2004. I recently came across  his obituary in The Independent newspaper. Some sections spoke in particular of his illustration work.

One of the outstanding author-illustrators of his time, C. Walter Hodges was also a leading scholar of the Shakespearean theatre. Hard-working to the point of perfectionism, he had a gentle demeanour and unfailingly sweet temper that brought him universal popularity in addition to well-earned professional respect. Illustrating over a hundred books while also writing a number of them himself, he played an important part in the general renaissance of children’s literature since 1945. Read More »

De Adelaar Van Het Negende | The Eagle of the Ninth | Dutch original edition

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This is the cover of the 1965 Dutch version of Rosemary Sutcliff‘s acclaimed children’s novel The Eagle of the Ninth. Inside are the same beautiful illustrations by C. Walter Hodges that are evident in all the early editions of the novel. This particular illustration is of Marcus and his Legion, ‘The Fourth Gaulish Auxiliaries of the Second Legion’, breaking formation in their battle with a British tribe.

(Adaptation  of earlier post)