California, the Magic Island
California, the Magic Island is a richly illustrated children's picture book for ages six and up. Hansen's illustrations are detailed and brilliantly colorful. The book includes twenty-six little stories, (one for each letter of the alphabet) embedded within a larger tale about mythical Queen Calafia, fierce ruler of the Magic Island and namesake of California. Fantasy and history combine in the California-themed tales told by courageous native animals who hope to earn the favor of the angry queen.
About Doug Hansen (Fresno, California Author)
Author and illustrator Doug Hansen was born in Fresno, California and is the eldest of six children in an artistic family. Fresno, the Valley, and California have inspired his work since his family returned to Fresno in 1970. Many Fresnans remember his work as a newsroom artist at The Fresno Bee newspaper for 23 years. The Bee published collections of his Fresno Sketchbook pen and ink drawings of Valley landmarks in 1991 and 1993. Hansen received both his BA and MA in Art from California State University, Fresno. He is a professor emeritus of illustration in the Department of Art and Design at Fresno State. Hansen illustrated two books of essays by Del Rey author David “Mas” Masumoto: Letters to the Valley: A Harvest of Memories in 2004, and Heirlooms: Letters from a Peach Farmer in 2007. Heyday (Berkeley, CA) has published three of Doug’s richly illustrated "California-centric" children’s books: Mother Goose in California, in 2009, Aesop in California in 2013, and California, the Magic Island, in April 2016. Hansen lives and works in Clovis, CA.