Little Devils - Hardcover

Robert J. Blake was born and raised in New Jersey. As a boy he made "tons of drawings" and used up thousands of crayons. He says, "I even did a huge crayon mural on our hallway that was not artistically appreciated by my parents."

Sharing one large room with two older brothers was "total chaos," he recalls. "We had lots of animals - dogs, ducks, hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs, lizards, turtles, snakes, birds, fish, and even two flying squirrels. And, oh yes, a tarantula. I think my parents were afraid to come up to our room."

Mr. Blake now resides in New Jersey with his wife and son. He works in his studio, a renovated barn on his property. Mr. Blake says, "I would like to paint in every state in the United States and in every country in the world."

"I hope my books lend the reader a feeling, and emotion, a new point of view, a new way to look at something that they might not have experienced otherwise."

Robert J. Blake was born and raised in New Jersey. As a boy he made "tons of drawings" and used up thousands of crayons. He says, "I even did a huge crayon mural on our hallway that was not artistically appreciated by my parents."

Sharing one large room with two older brothers was "total chaos," he recalls. "We had lots of animals - dogs, ducks, hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs, lizards, turtles, snakes, birds, fish, and even two flying squirrels. And, oh yes, a tarantula. I think my parents were afraid to come up to our room."

Mr. Blake now resides in New Jersey with his wife and son. He works in his studio, a renovated barn on his property. Mr. Blake says, "I would like to paint in every state in the United States and in every country in the world."

"I hope my books lend the reader a feeling, and emotion, a new point of view, a new way to look at something that they might not have experienced otherwise."

PreSchool-Grade 2—Blake means his title literally—this winsome story focuses on three young Tasmanian devils who enjoy mischief, and well, screaming. Burnie, Winnie, and Big Stanley wait each day for their mum to return to the den with food or toys for them to tear apart. But when she doesn't return one night, they set out to find adventures of their own. Eventually they find their mother trapped in a cage, and they do what young Tasmanian devils do best: rip it apart. And the family is back together once again. Blake loads his light-filled paintings with natural details and realistic expressions. By focusing on universal themes of family and youngsters tasting independence, he makes the story heartwarming and accessible without anthropomorphizing the animals. This book would make a lovely supplement to units on Australia or wildlife around the world.—Kathleen Kelly MacMillan, Carroll County Public Library, MD END