Little Bite For You

Mack (1960, the Netherlands) is a graphic designer and illustrator from The Netherlands. He was educated at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague. During his education he made funny and educational cartoons about, among others, penguins and whales. These cartoons were later bought by the ‘Diergaarde Blijdorp’-zoo in Rotterdam. By now Mack is a regular illustrator at this animal park and he is the author of several children’s books, in which animals often are the lead characters. Mack has a primitive way of drawing. He gets inspired by African art and the paintings of the Australian aboriginals. Both create an immense power by simplifying shapes. Mack wants to combine that powerful simplification with a subtle sense of humour. “In my books I try to teach children something in a funny way,” Mack says. “If I draw a penguin, it doesn’t matter to me that much how pretty he is or how good of an swimmer he is. What I want to show the most is how baggy he stands on the ice and how funny his walk is. That funny bagginess is what I try to catch in a couple of lines. Only when children can laugh about it, I think to myself: ‘Yes, I did it’.”

"Children’s Book Council’s Hot Off the Press Selection!" Praise for Mack van Gageldonk's other book 'A Hundred Kisses before Bedtime':"Little chick prides himself on being very good at giving goodnight kisses in order to prepare his animal friends for a peaceful night’s slumber. From crocodile to rooster, horse to kitty, piggy to lion and beyond, little chick instructs each animal that it is time for bed. Each animal receives a sweet kiss with their good night. Putting all of these animals to sleep is hard work and this task eventually tuckers poor little chick out. He returns to his mother and says that he is tired now. His mother lovingly gives him a kiss and off to dream land they go. This is a sweet bedtime tale that will delight young children and their caregivers. Children will delight in the simply drawn mixed-media illustrations that accurately depict recognizable animals. VERDICT A wonderful addition to picture book collections and early literacy kits on bedtime." – Kristen Todd-Wurm, Middle Country Public Library, NY, School Library Journal