Luke with Dinosaurs

Du BOIS, William Pene. Luke with Dinosaurs. Original watercolor and graphite illustration from The Planet of Lost Things by Mark Strand. [NY: C.N. Potter, 1982]. Image measures 6” x 7½” on a 7¼“ x 9¼“ sheet of heavy stock. Signed by the artist, Newbery Medalist and two-time Caldecott Honor Artist William Pene du Bois, in ink in the lower left.

A fabulous painting of a young boy (Luke), his rocket ship, and three dinosaurs – all from William Pene du Bois’ The Planet of Lost Things. As the title suggests, this is the story of a boy named Luke who travels to a planet filled with all the things that have been lost over time. This particular picture captures every little boy’s fantasy combining space travel with dinosaurs! Newbery Medalist and two-time Caldecott Honor artist William Pene du Bois’ vibrant, colorful illustrations perfectly capture this wonderful imaginary planet, bringing whimsy and humor to this wondrous tale.