Another giant passes

As the years go by, many of the great authors and illustrators of the late twentieth century are leaving the scene. Today's news is that John Schoenherr, the honored illustrator of Owl Moon, which won the Caldecott Medal, has died. Most libraries still have copies of Owl Moon, written by Jane Yolen, on their shelves so a new generation of children can continue to see the mysterious, unforgettable illustrations of a night in the woods. Knowing there won't be more books from John Schoenherr makes a librarian realize how irreplaceable some of the children's books in their collections are. I'm a fan of e-books for many purposes, but having a digital copy of a classic book still isn't the same as a beloved paper copy. I wonder how John Schoenherr felt about his legacy. He was also an illustrator of science-fiction books including the classic Dune series so presumably he kept his eyes on the future and welcomed changes, but there are some works of art that shouldn't change too much. John Schoenherr's illustrations were among the keepers.