Say the name M. Sasek and you’re immediately transported into the pages of your favorite “This Is...” book. His travel books have taken millions of children exploring around the world. His graphic aesthetic and bold, geometric and witty style are immediately recognizable. His playful narrative has a ring of nostalgia to it and evokes a bygone era, yet its vintage charm still very much resonates with young readers and families today.
This Is the World is a hefty anthology featuring abridged versions of some of M. Sasek’s most beloved books — This is New York, This is Paris, This is Greece, This is London, This is Australia, This is Texas, This is Munich, This is Rome, This is Britain, This is Hong Kong, This is Israel, This is San Francisco, This is Edinburgh, This is Venice, This is Washington D.C., and This is Ireland.
His biography, aptly named This Is M. Sasek, celebrates his life as an artist, author, incidental radio broadcaster, traveler and epic picture book maker. The book includes a thoughtful bio that gives us insights into his life as well as excerpts from his correspondence with others written during his stay in each city as he painted and wrote his books. Miroslav Sasek left a lasting legacy — his books are still being printed today and his influence is still felt in the work of countless artists.
This Is M. Sasek was written by Olga Cerna, Pavel Ryska and Martin Salisbury and This Is the World was written and illustrated by Miroslav Sasek. Both were published by Universe.