When I learned that Drawing from Memory by Allen Say had a sequel called The Inker’s Shadow I went into “Find This Book” Mode. And interlibrary loan did not let me down. Now, this book is a lot like the first, but deals with his years in the states. It moves a bit faster, covers more ground and years and fills in the information that shows how he was shaped into the author and illustrator that he would become. It is not just a great sequel to his Drawing from Memory memoir, but it is its own solid book.
Overall, the years after the war (World War II) are shown with its prejudices and people willing to help others. The people and places Say meet and go to are introduced, but not given “big deep dives.” That is good as you are learning about a beloved author, but also reading a story that does not fill up the pages to just fill them up. The illustrations are traditional Say and have a little something other to them as well. They mix details and spaces to give the big picture but not skimping on any part.
The book is an emotional one, a book about art, and a book just about people. There is something for everyone with these picture books best for fans of the author and artists in general. While it is a picture book, it is meant for older readers. The larger than usual picture book size might turn some people off, but I enjoyed being able to get into things with this large space. Of course, it might make it harder to fit on a traditional book shelf, but that just means you have to make a bigger one!