LIFE, ART, AND STORY

Cutting-edge and sometimes controversial, the stunning art of Paul Goble (b. 1933) evokes many emotions. Known internationally for his award‑winning children’s books, Goble began his career in design, crafting furniture that was produced throughout the United Kingdom. This early work foreshadowed the use of clean, crisp lines in his later illustrations depicting the natural world and American Indian themes.

Throughout his life, Goble has steeped himself in nature, honing his craft among the pine trees of South Dakota’s Black Hills for the past forty years. Starting in 1969, Goble used his art to relate little‑known stories of the Lakota Sioux and other tribes to a wider audience. He received the Caldecott Medal for The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses in 1979.

In Paul Goble, Storyteller, author Gregory Bryan introduces Goble, his family, close friends, and those whose work he has influenced. He tells the artist’s story. Bryan captures an intriguing life that few Americans are familiar with, including Goble’s childhood in wartime England. Building on this foundation, Bryan’s narrative follows the young boy as his penchant for learning led him to a lifelong fascination with the lives and cultures of American Indians on the Great Plains.

Bryan delivers an insightful, behind‑the‑scenes look at this well‑known illustrator and writer, whose artwork is located in collections and institutions throughout the country, including the Library of Congress and the South Dakota Art Museum. Goble has written and illustrated more than forty books for children. The book features sketches and stories about Goble’s creative process in writing, designing, and illustrating his bestselling works.

Gregory Bryan earned his master’s degree at Brigham Young University and his doctorate from the University of British Columbia. He is currently a professor of education at the University of Manitoba, specializing in literacy education and children’s literature. Born and raised in Australia, Bryan lives in Winnipeg with his wife and their two children.