Energy literally flies off the page of Earthquack (2002) as the wings of a huge white goose extend beyond the borders of the cover. I nearly hear honking from the bird’s wide-open beak as it flails above the crumbling ground below its airborne feet. A small, bright yellow duck mirrors the panic. The sky isn’t falling in this story; the ground is breaking apart. This art is my introduction to Barry Moser’s amazing, expressive animals.
Three fluffy chicks the color of dandelions, a sharp-eyed rooster with blazing red comb and waddle, goats, sheep, pig, and squirrel run to the big red barn for safety. Their body language of fear contrasts with the cold, calculating, mischievous weasel. A deep red tongue licks its snout in anticipation of an avian meal complemented by ham and mutton. When the chicks, duck, and squirrel question the security of a hole offered by the weasel, I shiver at how precarious they look leaning over the edge of a dark abyss.
Upon request, the Minuteman Network delivers three books illustrated by Barry Moser to my local library. Moser illustrates each story with animated paintings of animals. A sly, clever, smart fox coaxes a bear, beaver, porcupine, and possum to help grab grapes that are out of reach in Lousy, Rotten, Stinkin’ Grapes (2009). A troll bullies goats and a bear family in Three Silly Billies (2005). The body language and facial expressions are sensational.
The horse in Oh Harry! (2011) is so magical that I buy the book online. I’m learning to draw horses. I watch instructional videos and study horse anatomy. Drawing horses is hard. Yet Barry Moser blends accurate body mechanics with simplicity to paint a perfect Harry, complete with hilarious equine emotional intelligence.
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