Shortlisted for The AOI World Illustration Awards 2017 with ‘The Fox and the Wild’, published by Templar

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Shortlisted for The AOI World Illustration Awards 2017 with ‘A Bed for Bear’, publishing with Harper Collins

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“The tunnel spread is engaging: against a totally black background, staring eyes and mottled steppingstones marking a path for the courageous fox stand out… There’s lots that appeals: a polite but determined fox, just enough danger, and plenty of colorful art.” — Kirkus for ‘The Fox and the Wild’

“Young readers will find McFarland’s tale most agreeable, with just a few sentences per page, adorable characters, and a warm, inviting palette. It harks back to Eric Carle’s The Grouchy Ladybug and The Very Hungry Caterpillar, without the edge of the former and avant-garde minimalism of the latter. However, this gentle, timeworn tale still maintains its charm, with well-designed spreads of digital collage. A pleasing and amiable tale.” — Kirkus for ‘Caterpillar Dreams’

“McFarland’s short text is as literal as it gets, and the arts-and-crafts earnestness of his illustrations, made from digitally enhanced paper and watercolors, ostensibly promises little more than a standard-issue quest. What McFarland has going for him is a sneaky sense of visual wit.” — Publishers Weekly for ‘A Bed for Bear’