You've seen Zachary Pullen's illustrations in Sports Illustrated and The Wall Street Journal. When I was in Wyoming earlier this week, my friend Dana had this book on display in her classroom and it caught my eye. Little did I know that he hailed from Wyoming.
He illustrated The Toughest Cowboy: Or How the West Was Tamed (which is hilarious) and Alfred Nobel: The Man Behind the Prize, but Friday My Radio Flyer Flew is his first picture book. The bright red Radio Flyer on the front caught my eye, it reminded me of my own childhood wagon. I had to pick it up!
In the book a boy discovers his father's old Radio Flyer in the attic and his goal is to get it to fly. He builds wings for the wagon, but they break off. His father pulls him in the wagon and the boy dreams of making it fly. It's a wonderful story of a father and son using their imaginations, working together to make it fly. The final page is a tug-at-your-heartstrings portrait of a father and son moment that lives in their imagination.
I'm glad I happened upon this book, even though I had to drive all the way to Casper to see it! This is the illustrator's website. He has illustrated a new alphabet book, S is for Story: A Writer's Alphabet. Check out more of his amazing illustrations: http://www.zacharypullen.com or read his wonderful blog http://giftofwork.blogspot.com/
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