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above: Coco finds a sewing basket and makes herself a beautiful green hat... Now she's ready to go out and see the big world!
Coco the Carrot -written & illustrated by Steven Salerno published by Marshall Cavendish Books for Children, 2005.
Coco is a curious carrot -and escapes from her cold, cramped vegetable bin with a desire to explore the outside world. Along the way she's befriended by a loyal monkey named Anton, makes it all the way to Paris, and wins the admiration of hat wearers around the world by becoming a famous hat designer.
"Salerno's elegant graphics recall Jean Cocteau's pen-and-ink caricatures or the fashion-magazine style of Chelsey McLaren. The frills and loop-de-loops of his curvaceous lines complement the extravagant absurdity of the characters and plot twists"-Publishers Weekly
“Salerno turns a silly plot into a credible adventure of the imagination with his watercolor-and-gouache illustrations. The bold lines and colors create an energy that fills each page of this madcap story. Readers will never view the vegetable bin in the same way after reading this action-packed adventure” -School Library Journal
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above: a detailed cropped view of the cover for Coco the Carrot.
see Steven’s complete list of published picture books to date
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above: preliminary stage rough SKETCH (blue pencil)
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above: final illustration based on the preliminary sketch (see left) of Coco hopping up the gangway, the very last passenger to board the cruise ship, and much to the surprise of the Captain.
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above: aboard the ship sailing for a France, Coco the Carrot is the guest of honor seated at the Captain's Table. The other guests are charmed by her engaging spirit.
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above: while stranded on the tropical island, Coco discovers her talent for creating fantastic hat designs.
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above: Coco, heralded as an up and coming new fashion designer, is surrounded by reporters...
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above: detailed cropped view of a page from the printed book... Coco and Anton exploring the streets of Paris
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above: Coco and her monkey friend Anton are flown through the night all the way to Paris... guests of Mademoiselle Chapeau, owner of the largest hat factory in the world.
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above: detailed cropped view of a page from the printed book... Coco and Anton dancing with Mademoiselle Chapeau.