Bronwen, the Traw, and the Shape-Shifter
Brownen, with her magic traw, journeys to the squirrel's kingdom, where she courageously battles the Shape-Shifter as it assumes the form of the elements--air, fire, water and the very earth itself.
Watson's dramatic, mysterious illustrations capture the alternately gentle and fierce moods of Poet Laureate, James Dickey's richly imaginative epic poem.
Bronwen discovers she is not the only one afraid of the All-Dark when a flying squirrel taps on her window in the middle of the night.
Bronwen’s epic journey as she crosses the river in a shawl of moss and moonlight. With seagulls, llamas and dolphins, she does battle against fear. Her garden traw helps her heal the earth —and return to her lilies and dahlias. Using sepia watercolour set the tone for the themes in the book.
These are some preliminary sketches and studies, based on a taxidermied squirrel found in a nearby natural history museum.
When I needed a deep dive into the dark night of the poem, I got a job as a security guard. So, late at night, there’s me with flashlight, in the cab of my pickup truck, painting the pictures of Bronwen and her squirrels. When I seriously needed some encouragement, Halley’s Comet appeared in the night sky — thank you cosmos! I painted the comet into one of the illustrations.
I had never seen a flying squirrel in my life until I started working on this book. One night my cat caught, what I thought, was a mouse. Upon closer inspection I noticed the tiny victim had huge eyes, and realized it was a flying squirrel. No way was I going to let my cat eat one of the brave characters of my new book.
Next day I find out, my editor, Susan Mihalic, had a flying squirrel as a pet when she was growing up.
“With all children safe from the Shifter.”
Awards and Reviews:
The Parents’ Choice Award for Illustration, Parents’ Choice Foundation
29th Illustration Annual Exhibition and Publication, Society of Illustrators
Communication Arts Illustration Annual 1987
“…This is a gorgeous book. Richard Jesse Watson’s large black-and-white drawings are of portrait quality laced with enchantment. The squirrel tapping at Bronwen’s window is so real, of course she’ll speak to it.” Los Angeles Times, The Book Review
“Complimenting James Dickey’s poem are the lovely illustrations by Richard Jesse Watson, whose drawings- color and black and white- possess no want of magic themselves. (The sense of innocence and awe on Bronwen’s open-mouthed face as she looks out her bedroom window in one of Watson’s black-and-white sketches is as memorable a drawing of a child as I have ever seen.)” The State Columbia South Carolina
“This poetic fantasy is attractively presented as a picture book. Watson has caught the dark romantic tone of the poem in carefully detailed, imaginative black-and-white spreads.” Kirkus Review
“The enchanting illustrations are light and ethereal, even in their brown/black tones.” The Baltimore Sunday Sun
“A beautiful book, gentle yet foreboding, is made even more endearing by the detailed duotone drawings of Richard Jesse Watson.” The San Diego Tribune
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Bronwen, the Traw, and the Shape-Shifter, by James Dickey, Illustrated by Richard Jesse Watson
Harcourt Inc 1986 ISBN:0152125809