art

Review: Colorful Dreamer by Marjorie Blain Parker

| Tasha

colorful dreamer

Colorful Dreamer: The Story of Artist Henri Matisse by Marjorie Blain Parker, illustrated by Holly Berry

Matisse grew up in a French town that was industrial and gray.  Despite this, he dreamed in bright colors.  He was a boy who did not do well in school, at music, or really at much of anything except dreaming.  Matisse decided to study law in Paris, but he discovered that being a law clerk was very dull, copying legal documents word for word by hand.  Due to the stress, Matisse ended up in a hospital bed for months.  It was there that he started painting to pass the time.  Now he had found exactly what he was good at.  It wasn’t easy, there were times he lacked food and money, but he worked very hard at his art.  Years later, Matisse found himself sick and in bed again in his old age.  He could no longer stand at an easel, so he turned to making cut-out collages, and those pieces turned out to be some of his most celebrated creations.

Parker vividly tells the story of a boy who grew up as a very unlikely artist.  From his colorless surroundings to the fact that he had never discovered his artistic gift, it is amazing that Matisse became what he was.  I appreciate particularly her celebration of the creative and the imaginative.  She also makes sure though that young readers know how much work it took for Matisse to reach success and that it did not come instantaneously.  It’s a book that speaks to everyone having a gift, but also the hard work it takes to achieve it.

Berry’s art plays black-and-white against brilliant color.  The gray world of Matisse’s youth is shown in intricate pencil illustrations, but pales against the radiant color of his dreams and his art.  As the pages turn, Matisse’s world becomes the same colors as the art he creates, demonstrating that he has finally found his place in the world as a whole.

Beautifully illustrated and written as an inspiration to young people looking for their own special place in the world, this is a very special look at a famous artist.  Appropriate for ages 5-8.

Reviewed from copy received from Dial Books.

Review: Dog Loves Drawing by Louise Yates

| Tasha

dog loves drawing

Dog Loves Drawing by Louise Yates

The charming dog from Dog Loves Books returns in this second story.  When dog receives a blank book in the mail, he’s not sure what to do with it.  Then he sees the note from his Aunt Dora that told him it was a sketchbook and wished him wonderful adventures.  The first thing that Dog drew was a door, he walked through it and then drew a stickman and a duck.  The duck drew an owl and the owl drew a crab.  Then everyone started drawing until they wondered what else to do.  Dog then drew a train and they all hopped aboard, entering into an adventure on the page that they created themselves. 

This jaunty picture book celebrates both creativity and art.  Yates embraces the flow of consciousness story creating, merrily showing us how very freeing and fun it can be.  Doodles are celebrated and there is no erasing and perfecting, just an acceptance of the art being done.  I enjoyed the addition of the monster at the end of the book, giving that little extra jolt of energy at the end of the adventure. 

The illustrations are colorful and done mostly in simple lines.  Dog himself is sketched in black and white, but others have a looser feel of being quickly drawn.  The addition of real-seeming paintbrushes and pencils adds to the feeling of being inside a sketchbook. 

A welcome sequel to the first book, this is a lovely book that will have you doodling in your own sketchbook.  Appropriate for ages 3-5.

Reviewed from copy received from Knopf Books for Young Readers.

Review: Sky Color by Peter H. Reynolds

| Tasha

sky color

Sky Color by Peter H. Reynolds

This is another charmer of a picture book from Reynolds who wrote the popular Ish and The Dot.  Marisol considers herself an artist.  She paints lots of pictures, carries art supplies with her, and sees an artist in everyone.  So Marisol is thrilled when she learns that their next project will be a class mural.  Marisol wants to paint the sky.  The only problem is that there’s no blue paint.  How can she paint the sky without any blue?  Happily, the sky itself shows all of the colors possible to Marisol and she is inspired to paint the sky in many colors.

Reynolds uses simple text very successfully here, just as he has in his previous books.  This book is all about embracing the inner artist, expressing creativity, and finding inspiration in the world around you.  These are huge concepts that Reynolds makes tangible and possible even for young children to get inspired by.  A great idea would be to share the book with children and then have everyone paint the sky without using blue. 

Reynolds successfully turns just a few lines into great illustrations that capture emotions and full characters.  Many of the pages are black and white with bursts of color, but when artistic inspiration strikes, the colors bloom. 

Clever, colorful and filled with artistic inspiration for young readers.  Appropriate for ages 4-6.

Reviewed from library copy.

Review: The Art of Miss Chew by Patricia Polacco

| Tasha

art of miss chew

The Art of Miss Chew by Patricia Polacco

Polacco continues to explore her childhood in picture book form in this tribute to a teacher.  In school, young Patricia struggled with her grades, specifically when taking tests.  Luckily, she had a teacher, Mr. Donovan, who was willing to give her extra time to finish.  That little change allowed Patricia to get better grades.  Mr. Donovan was also the first teacher to recognize her artistic talent.  He connected her with an art program run by Miss Chew.  Miss Chew talked about learning to see, working with line and pressure, and taking their sketchbooks with them everywhere.  Patricia soaked all of this up like a sponge.  But then Mr. Donovan’s father died, and the substitute teacher would not give her more time to finish her tests.  She even threatened to pull Patricia out of her special art class.  Happily, Miss Chew was there to come to the rescue!

Polacco has continued to write about her challenges with school and about how a single amazing teacher changed her life again and again.  Her books are a testament to the power of teachers to make a difference in a child’s world, but in turn they are also a look at the emergence of a gifted artist who works hard and makes her own special place too.  In my eyes, it is the combination of Polacco and her teachers that is magical.

The art is done in Polacco’s signature style that is artistic, evocative and realistic too.  As she speaks about art, she demonstrates it in her art in the book.  Readers will notice how she captures shadow and light and plays with perspective too.  It is a very engaging way to create a quick art lesson in the middle of a story.

Art teachers will love this as a gift, but they will also enjoy sharing it in their classrooms.  Bravo for Miss Chew and all of the other great teachers out there who do this work every day.  Appropriate for ages 5-7.

Reviewed from copy received from G. P. Putnam’s Sons.

Review: Virginia Wolf by Kyo Maclear

| Tasha

virginia wolf

Virginia Wolf by Kyo Maclear, illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault

This picture book is loosely based on the life of Virginia Wolf and her sister.  Adults will enjoy the tie-ins, but they are not necessary for children to understand in order to enjoy the book.  It is a story told from Vanessa’s point of view.  Virginia was having a “wolfish” sort of day where nothing pleased her and any sort of noise bothered her.  Vanessa tried to talk with her and discovered that Virginia was dreaming of a far-away perfect place to be.  So Vanessa snuck away and found art supplies and paper to create that world for her sister.  Soon her walls were covered in birds, butterflies, flowers and color.  There was even room for a wolf to wander.  Virginia’s mood lifted and she was ready to play once again. 

This book takes a direct look at depression but can also be used for more transient moods of children.  The author’s writing is rich and beautiful.  When Virginia first gets depressed, she explains it this way: “The whole house sank.  Up became down.  Bright became dim.  Glad became gloom.”  When Vanessa paints the garden it is described this way: “I painted leaves that said hush in the wind and fruit that squeaked and slowly I created a place called Bloomsberry.  I made it look just the way it sounded.”  This is a book that not only has art as a solution and an escape, but also has art in the writing itself.

Arsenault’s illustrations have a wonder to them that is astonishing.  Done in mixed media of ink, pencil, watercolor and gouache, the images play with darkness and light with a fearlessness.  Color is used sparingly at first, then when the art appears it is lush and vibrant.  One completely understands the way that art can lift a person.  Perhaps my favorite small detail is that the art at first when seen through Vanessa’s eyes is adult, lush and fine lined.  Later when glimpsed in retrospect, it has a childlike quality to it instead. 

This picture book is a small work of art that speaks to the power of creativity and art to lift moods.  Appropriate for ages 5-7.

Reviewed from copy received from Kids Can Press.

Review: Dying to Know You by Aidan Chambers

| Tasha

dying to know you FINAL

Dying to Know You by Aidan Chambers

When Karl’s girlfriend Fiorella asks him to write down his feelings about their relationship and answer a list of questions, he turns for help to a famous writer who lives in their town.  Karl is dyslexic which makes writing very difficult for him, as was the author who suffered as a child from minor dyslexia.  The author agrees to help Karl as much out of loneliness as a willingness to help.  He is drawn to Karl, who is similar in many ways, bright and eager.  He insists that Karl meet with him and give his own answers to the questions which the writer will in turn polish into something worthy of Fiorella’s attention.  As the two spend time together, their relationship deepens slowly into a true friendship.  When Fiorella finds out about the truth of the letters, it impacts the relationship not only of her and Karl but also of Karl and the author.

Chambers has created an amazing book here.  I found it nearly impossible to summarize because so much of the book is the growing connection between the two male characters.  It happens slowly and believably during fishing, quiet moments of driving, and conversation.  It is a look at how we choose connections in our lives and how they impact the life we lead.  While the book may be a quiet one, it also is daring in its own way, revealing the inner world of a young adult, written with truth and honesty.

The two men both face previous losses that have colored the way they face the world.  Karl lost his beloved father at a young age, and still struggles with his connection to his father and with disconnecting from that loss.  The author has recently lost his wife.  The two of them both struggled with depression and grief, sinking lower into a dangerous place with thoughts of suicide. 

Chambers also weaves in the role of art in our lives, the power of that to connect us to the world and the drive to create and be imaginative.  With Karl, who is a plumber, this connection to art is not an obvious one.  It takes time, just like their budding friendship, for the reader to come to understand Karl more deeply. 

I wish I could easily capture this book in paragraphs, since I feel like I have danced around the edges and not captured its heart here.  Let me say that this is a book that is powerful, quiet and filled with revelations about life.  It is honest, beautifully written and deep.  It is a book where you miss the characters for days after finishing it, because you too have befriended them.  Appropriate for ages 16-18.

Reviewed from ARC received from Amulet Books.

Review: Just Behave Pablo Picasso! by Jonah Winter

| Tasha

JUST BEHAVE, PABLO PICASSO!

Just Behave, Pablo Picasso! by Jonah Winter, illustrated by Kevin Hawkes

Pablo Picasso started out painting just like everyone else, but when he started to paint his moods in colors, things started to change.  The gallery owners wanted more pictures in just the same style, and suddenly Picasso became wealthy and well know.  But Picasso was not interested in painting the same rose colored paintings again and again.  Instead, he becomes inspired by African masks and does a new painting that breaks all of the rules.  When it is unveiled, the reaction is strongly negative and it is called “ugly” by the critics.  When the entire world starts doubting him, Picasso works even harder, coming out with another painting that is the birth of modernism.  This book displays the strength needed to stay true to yourself all through the lens of the incredible Pablo Picasso.

Winter has not written a conventional picture book biography here.  Instead, he plays with the format.  He uses comic book techniques like BLAM! and has pages that range from just a sentence or two to ones that are lengthier and provide more information and insight into Picasso.  This biography is less about the details of his life and much more about his art and its inspiration and evolving style.  We learn nothing of his family, but much about his process and his drive.

Hawkes’ illustrations carry that same playful feeling forward.  He toys with perspective, enjoys depicting the close quarters in Paris with see-through walls.  It takes a certain amount of playfulness to take on a book about Picasso and not imitate his style in the illustrations.  Hawkes’ style remains true to himself, underlining the overall message of the book by doing so.

A creative and fun picture book biography about a vibrant and rebellious artist, this book should find a place in children’s nonfiction collections.  Appropriate for ages 6-8.

Reviewed from library copy.

Review: The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

| Tasha

one and only ivan

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

Ivan is the gorilla that is part of the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade.  The big billboard outside the mall shows Ivan as a ferocious beast, but he’s really a very easygoing guy.  He doesn’t remember anything about his life before he came to live with humans.  He was raised in Mack’s house as long as he was little and cute, but when he got bigger he was put into his domain: a glassed-in room.  He watches TV, lots of Westerns, and hangs out with his friends: an old elephant named Stella and a stray dog named Bob.  He also does art, scribbles that Mack sells in the mall gift shop.  Things change at the circus as money gets tighter until Mack purchases a baby elephant for the Big Top.  Ruby has been taken from her family and is full of lots of questions.  She makes Ivan look at his small, enclosed world more closely and inspires him to make promises that he will probably never be able to keep. 

I read this book in one long gulp, unable to get Ivan and his tiny, limited world out of my head.  The book is written from Ivan’s point of view, one that is distinctly gorilla and wonderfully familiar and foreign at the same time.  Applegate manages to give us a taste of being animal while never imbuing Ivan with human sensibilities, yet he is entirely relatable for readers.

The use of art to bridge the language gap between humans and gorillas is equally effective.  Ivan’s ruminations about art and how to capture taste and feel on paper is lovely.  Ivan’s world may be small and enclosed, but through art and his relationships with others, it grows larger and larger. 

This is a book that captivates.  It is compelling readers, bubbling with humor, yet addresses issues that are deep and complex.  It is a book that is memorable, rich and simply marvelous.  Appropriate for ages 9-12.

Reviewed from library copy.

Review: Dream Something Big by Dianna Hutts Aston

| Tasha

dream something big

Dream Something Big: The Story of the Watts Towers by Dianna Hutts Aston, illustrated by Susan L. Roth

Told through the voice of a fictional child, this is a look at the building of the Watts Towers, a huge art piece that is outsider art and has been named a National Landmark.  Simon Rodia, called Uncle Simon in the book, built the towers from glass, pottery shards, seashells and a vision.  Each piece on the towers was selected by hand.  The book shows the careful selection and then the transformation from garbage to art.  This is about the artistic dream and the process more than the man himself.  Because the building of the towers took decades, the story shows the girl grown into a woman with her own children.  It is a story of an artist, his skill, and the strength and vision it took to make it happen.

Aston has written so simply here that her format speaks also to the simplicity yet complexity too of the art itself.  She writes in the first person, inviting people into the story.  As she explores the process of the art, it is broken into parts and becomes jewel like too.  These are small moments and decisions that contribute to the whole.  The moments of creation are exceptionally important to the feel of the entire book.  They are moments that are celebrated and savored.

Roth’s incredible collage illustrations also elevate this book.  They are bright, filled with motion, and there is a constant feel of confetti and celebration on the page.  The shards and small treasures slowly coalesce into the towers and the gates around them.  The art is so close to reality that when the final page is turned and one sees a photograph of the towers, there is no jilt to reality.  Roth captured the spirit of the art so completely that it just feels right to see the real work at that point.

This is a powerful picture book about the process and importance of art and the act of creation.  Appropriate for ages 5-8.

Reviewed from copy received from Dial Books for Young Readers.

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