Thomas Aquinas Maguire facts for kids
Thomas Aquinas Maguire is an American author and artist who creates amazing picture books for children. His first book, A Growling Place, was released by Simply Read Books in August 2007. Later, in the summer of 2010, Simply Read Books also published his second work, Three Little Dreams. This was a special collection of three books that could unfold. In 2011, his third picture book, The Wild Swans, also came out from Simply Read Books.
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Thomas Aquinas Maguire: Author and Illustrator
Thomas Aquinas Maguire is known for his unique way of telling stories through pictures. He not only writes the stories but also draws all the illustrations. His books are designed to be engaging and fun for young readers. He often uses creative formats, like books that unfold into long images.
Exploring His Books
Maguire has created several memorable picture books. Each one offers a different kind of reading experience. Let's look closer at some of his popular works.
A Growling Place
A Growling Place was published in 2007. It is a traditional storybook about a girl who helps a stuffed bear. This book has a simple chapter system. The table of contents shows the chapter names, which are color-coded. These chapter names also appear directly in the story as you read. This helps readers follow along easily.
Three Little Dreams
Released in 2010, Three Little Dreams was Maguire's first time creating stories as very long, single images. This collection comes as a box set with three small books. Each book represents a dream. When you unfold each book, it stretches out to about 3 feet long! The three dreams included are:
- Of Night and of Flight
- Of Dragons and Drowse
- Of Sleep and of Sheep
The Wild Swans
The Wild Swans came out in 2011. It is a beautifully illustrated version of the classic Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale. What makes this book special is how the story is told. It's presented as one single, very long image. This image is 6.5 inches tall and unfolds to be over 60 feet wide! The book comes in a box. Inside the box, you also find a small booklet with the original Andersen story.
Awards and Recognition
Thomas Aquinas Maguire's work has been recognized for its design.
- He won 2nd place in The 26th Annual Awards for Excellence in Book Design in Canada. This award was given by the Alcuin Society for his book A Growling Place.
