Review by Booklist Review
Gr. 3^-6. In this intricately constructed picture book for older readers, a two-page spread is devoted to each artist, with a full-page self-portrait facing a page of text in which artists speak briefly about the why and how of their work. There is also a biographic paragraph and photos of the artist as a child and as an adult. The men and women profiled have found inspiration in places that children will recognize: in looking out of apartment windows, in paper dolls' clothing, in the miraculous appearance of an airplane in a tiny Mexican town. George Littlechild's self-portrait is in four parts; he describes himself as a "rainbow man" of mixed Cree ancestry. Daryl Wells' is in four parts, too, but what she illustrates is how the different media (oils, watercolors, colored pencils, and colored inks) affect how she sees herself and how we see her. All these artists have also made books for children, which are listed at the end, along with a note from the editor. Education and inspiration in an intriguing package. --GraceAnne A. DeCandido
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 6This entrancing book allows 14 artists who illustrate books for children to present themselves through both art and words. Representing the Hispanic, Black, Asian-American, Jewish, and Native American experiences, the contributors discuss important moments in their lives and how they became artists. Each double-page spread is composed of a full-page self-portrait opposite an explanation of the picture and a photograph of the subject as a child and at present. A list of the authors' titles published by Children's Book Press concludes the book. This is a wonderful browsing item as well as an excellent teaching tool for those who want to approach their students with the idea that we can communicate with both pictures and words. Both media are legitimate, and they work beautifully in tandem, as this book so beautifully testifies.Ann Welton, Terminal Park Elementary School, Auburn, WA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Double-page spreads each contain an expressive self-portrait and a very simple autobiographical statement. The contemporary artists discuss their childhoods and life experiences and how these affect their work. All have illustrated children's books, but most of their comments pertain to their art in general. Young artists will appreciate the brief, personalized narratives despite the lack of depth. From HORN BOOK 1997, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
