Chelsea Morning

by Joni Mitchell, Brian Froud (Illustrator)

Overview

Internationally acclaimed singer/ songwriter Joni Mitchell evokes a sense of childlike wonder with the lyrics of her now-classic song, "Chelsea Morning."

"...the sun poured in like butterscotch and stuck to all my senses."

Brian Froud's whimsical illustrations transform Joni Mitchell's words into a flight of fancy piloted by mystical creatures and magic.

This charming collaboration is an invitation to children and adults to see ordinary things in an extraordinary way...

"Won't you stay, we'll put on the day... there's a sun show every second."

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781596876880
Publisher:	ibooks, Incorporated
Publication date:	06/10/2023
Pages:	34
Sales rank:	519,044
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.09(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Joni Mitchell is a legendary Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter whose popularity and musical influence spans over three decades. Her first album, simply entitled Joni Mitchell, established her as one of the preeminent talents of her generation. "Chelsea Morning" first appeared on the album Clouds (1969). Ms. Mitchell resides in California.

Brian Froud is the design genius behind Jim Henson's films The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth. He is also a Hugo Award-winning artist and author renowned for his enchanting fantasy cover illustrations and his own books, which include the best-selling Faeries (with Alan Lee), The Land of Froud, Goblins and Lady Cottington's Pressed Fairy Book (with Terry Jones). His latest book is the highly acclaimed Good Faeries/Bad Faeries. He lives in England.

Editorial Reviews

Accompanied by Froud's (Faeries) jarring, at times garish pictures introducing a range of fairy- and gnome-like characters, the lyrics of Mitchell's song make for a cryptic picture book. As a girl awakens to hear a "song outside my window," a sprite appears over her head, apparently ushering in magic that transforms the youngster into a radiant, winged princess-like being. After a few pages, she inexplicably disappears from the art. Froud then conjures a mishmash of bizarre, at times eerie creatures whose antics offer a disjointed take on Mitchell's words ("Blue, red, green and gold to welcome you,/ crimson crystal beads to beckon" acts as caption for a portrait of a Seussian character sporting a striped green leotard and red cape, holding a crystal ball in one hand and, in the other, a dwarf whose coat ends in a fringe of ruby beads). When the girl does return (wearing a flowing, white gown and a wreath on her head), liquid falling from her hand assumes the shape of ghoulish faces ("And the sun poured in like butterscotch and stuck to all my senses"). This visual interpretation is unlikely to help newcomers warm to Mitchell's song; and those familiar with "Chelsea Morning" will find that these images muddle rather than elucidate its message. The brightest note here is Mitchell's crystal clear performance of the song on a CD tucked into the inside back cover. Ages 4-8. (Oct.) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

Along with the dubious trend of celebrities writing books for children, there's a rather less dubious one of making songs, traditional and otherwise, into picture books. Let it be said right off that the sparkling, playful language of this song is really quite wonderful on the page. The mischievous Froud, whose panoply of images includes both The Dark Crystal film and Lady Cottington's Pressed Faery Book, has his own way with the lyrics. A girl with abundant, beribboned hair sits in bed with a sprite in striped pants floating above her. Turn the page and the "song outside my window" is a radiant, sparkling, winged creature. As the lyrics proceed through the "crimson crystal beads," "a bowl of oranges," and "incense owls . . . By candlelight / By jewel-light," each facing picture reflects, expands, and moves in directions one might not predict. Full of Froud's fairies, sprites, and creatures, they have a giddy, sly, or dangerous edge to them and present an interesting foil to the sunny-side-up lyrics. A little overblown for Mitchell, but there will be an audience. (Picture book. 5-9)

Kirkus Reviews