Van Dog

Van Dog is a hybrid comic and seek-and-find picture book that contemplates art and creativity from author Mikolaj Pa and illustrator Gosia Herba.

Van Dog rides to the countryside to paint a landscape one day. As he mounts his easel, mixes his paints, and contemplates the scenery, the landscape slowly unfolds in weird and wonderful ways: a snail nibbles on a mushroom, ants gather to work, and a giant lizard monster sets off on a journey to Tokyo.

As the landscape becomes busier and busier, Van Dog struggles to finish his painting--but is he overwhelmed by his subject, or is the richness of the countryside precisely what inspires him?

＂Robots, vampires, giant lizards, and every color of the rainbow populate the playful illustrations of this delightful book.＂ --Foreword (Starred Review)

＂A wacky, immersive picture book about artistic inspiration . . . A busy book with a heart for art.＂ --Kirkus Reviews

＂This wonderfully silly read will tickle readers with its details and unexpected twists.＂ --Booklist

Mikolaj Pa (Pasinski) is a book designer based in Wroclaw, Poland. He is a graphic novel and children’s book author who is mostly interested in children’s literature, book design, typography, and print. His clients include HarperCollins, Egmont, Matilda, and Dwie Siostry. Gosia Herba was born and raised in a small town in southwest Poland. She started drawing as a child and never stopped. After graduating from the Academy of Fine Arts in Wroclaw, she started her career working for various publishers, magazines, music labels, and agencies. Her work has been exhibited worldwide, in particular at the Biennial of Illustrations in Bratislava, the Tallinn Illustrations Triennial, and the Bologna Children’s Book Fair. Her clients include The Quarto Group, Penguin Random House, Andersen Press, the New York Times, and The New Yorker. She lives and works in Wroclaw.