Irwin Dermer

This odd little picture-book, first published in 1975, pairs a rather garbled narrative - a witch's hat is damaged and lost, with catastrophic worldwide consequences (changing weather, subdued and unhappy children, no more birthdays) - with beautifully surreal artwork by Tony Meeuwissen. I can see why it has fallen out of print, as the story really fails to involve the reader in any significant way. The illustrations, on the other hand, are quite appealing, and I think that admirers of Meeuwissen's art will want to take a look at The Witch's Hat, despite its lackluster narrative.

Vivid colors and surreal vistas combine, in a way that reminded me of the work of Rafal Olbinski. The comparison with Olbinski is particularly apt, as his Flowers & Fables (written by John Gruen) suffered from a similar textual weakness. One wishes these artists had been paired with better storytellers! Still, there is much pleasure to be derived from examining Meeuwissen's work, which makes for a visual narrative of its own. The final scene, in which the witch has regained her hat, and is departing, offers a satisfying conclusion.… (altro)