Robert San Souci (pronounced "san soo-see") passed away on December 19^th, leaving a large hole in the world of children’s authors.  Many people will recognize San Souci’s work from the Disney movie Mulan, based on his 1998 retelling of the original Chinese poem.  San Souci retold many folktales from Ireland to Africa, although one of his favorites was Cinderella.  (Some of his Cinderella variations can be found in this previous blog post.)  To celebrate his life and his work, let’s take a look at some of his more unusual books:

While San Souci wrote extensively about the Cinderella variations around the world, his most macabre Cinderella tale is Cinderella Skeleton, a ghoulishly fun story told through complex rhymes.  This story is a humorous read for older children who are familiar with the more traditional stories.  The illustrations by David Catrow are atmospheric but playful; the oversized eye sockets of his skeletons are wildly expressive and children will love exploring his pages for small details. 

Another beautiful San Souci read is Sister Tricksters : Rollicking Tales of Clever Females, which features eight stories retold from Anne Virginia Culbertsons’ At the Big House.  The story is a welcome addition to any collection of folktales because it highlights female tricksters – a group that is sporadically found in folklore.  The book was illustrated by Daniel San Souci, Robert’s brother.  The siblings worked on twelve stories together, but the lavish and brightly colored illustrations of Sister Tricksters are particularly appealing.  Fans of Jerry Pinkney’s animal tales will love the San Souci’s take on trickster stories.  

His books have won Caldecott Honors and Coretta Scott King Honors, among other accolades. To read more about Robert San Souci's life and work, read this article on School Library Journal.

- This month's Children's Literature blog post written by Christopher Brown, Children's Librarian at the Wadsworth Branch Library