Review by New York Times Review
IN THIS DIGITAL AGE, with computer-generated works able to replicate traditional media seamlessly, it's easy to forget the humble pencil. But in the hands of an artist, it is a mighty tool: Three new picture books show us how it can give those who are silent expression, the ordinary magic and the powerless power. Allen Say's "Silent Days, Silent Dreams" is a fascinating biography of James Castle, a self-taught 20th-century American artist who was deaf from birth and never learned to read and write. The book opens with a small charcoal drawing of a baby wailing - the mouth a swath of blackness - and we are immediately struck by the silence of the picture. This image - a human howling to be heard in a medium with no sound - seems to encapsulate the essence of Castle. So it is fitting that it's Say's art that truly tells Castle's story. Written in the voice of a nephew of Castle, the tale is spare and almost detached, but the images reveal the torment of his silent, lonely childhood and the passion of creation. When young James has his art supplies taken away, he creates his own pencil with a sharpened stick and soot mixed with his spit. Say's recreations of Castle's work illustrates a mesmerizing vision of the world. (The book does not include any reproductions of Castle's actual art.) The heartbreak of Castle discarding, at one point, his artwork is shown in a bleak charcoal rendering - his arms blurring with fluttering sheets of paper, making it seem as if he is truly casting away parts of himself. When Castle's art is finally discovered by the art world and he has his own show, it is almost an anticlimax: "The turnout was good and a few pieces were sold." Many readers may find it unsatisfactory. But Say, a Caldecott Medal winner for "Grandfather's Journey," has given us a portrait of the purest of artists - one unconcerned about receiving glory for his art, yet desperately passionate about its creation. There is much to ponder here about how an artist's mind works. In the transcendent wordless picture book "Lines," Suzy Lee ("Wave," "Shadow") uses her pencil to draw the reader into layers of her imagination. The book opens to a drawing of a blank page, with only a pencil and eraser. From there, we follow a lone, red-capped ice skater who glides on an expanse of white ice, her skates creating a trailing line behind here. She spins and twirls with exuberance, but when she attempts a spinning jump, her landing falters. It is only when the skater falls that we see that the ice has been the blank sheet of paper and the marks from her skates are pencil lines. The paper is temporary crumpled up as we are reminded of the beginning image, and, with a thrill, we realize we are seeing through the eyes of the artist as well as feeling her frustration. Luckily, the unseen artist reconsiders and smooths out her paper and the skater reappears. From there new skaters begin to jubilantly join the drawing, the hundreds of "mistake" lines and eraser marks becoming their skate tracks. The closing endpapers feature a drawing of an ice pond, presumably the artist's finished piece, on a pile of sketches. It's a magical, inventive journey through the artistic process. The mistakes, as well as the perseverance, needed to create are charmingly personified by the skater. Her motion and body language are captured with marvelous skill, each drawn mark alive with quiet energy -rendering words unnecessary. "Lines" truly underscores Lee's mastery of the wordless picture book form. "Malala's Magic Pencil," the first picture book by the young human rights activist Malala Yousafzai, brings forth the pencil as an obvious symbol. We follow a young Malala who longs for a magic pencil like the one she sees on her favorite TV show. She first dreams of using it to make herself and others happy with small material goods, but one day, Malala notices a girl her own age sorting trash. She soon learns that education is not available for many children, especially girls. Malala sees outside of herself and begins to wish for a magic pencil so that she could "draw a better world." Since none shows up, Malala dedicates herself to her schooling. When girls start dropping out of her school because of "powerful and dangerous men," Malala realizes she can no longer wish for a magic pencil. She must use the ordinary one she has and writes her experiences for the world to see and help. Adults will know the violent turn that Malala's story then takes, but the book deals with her shooting artfully, telling children all they need to know with an almost completely black spread, showing only the back of Malala in a hospital gown with the words that "dangerous men tried to silence me. But they failed." The remainder of the book shows Malala triumphing, sharing her message even louder and wider-working to make her wish for a better world true, using her own pencil. The book itself is also a triumph, for it is a story with hard truths, yet it is accessible for young children. The artwork, by the husband-and-wife team Kerascoet, has its charms, especially the opening spread where Asian motifs of gold ink stream from Malala's pencil and notebook. But it is the voice of the writing that wins over the reader. It has a genuine innocence, heartfelt without any pandering and completely respectful of the young reader. This is an excellent book to begin conversations about world injustice with children. Artists' tools have come a long way over the centuries. But as these three books remind us, as long as there are artists, there will be an important place for the pencil in our lives. It continues to be a forceful tool, revealing its powers to us in the passion of an artist, the struggles and joys of the creative journey, and the inspiration to fight injustice. GRACE LIN is the author and illustrator of many books for young readers, most recently "When the Sea Turned to Silver."
Copyright (c) The New York Times Company [November 12, 2017]
Review by Booklist Review
Malala Yousafzai, activist and youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, takes her well-known story and brings it to a younger audience. She starts with a memory from her Pakistani childhood: watching a TV show in which a boy makes anything real by drawing it with his magic pencil. Malala drew things that would make others happy, including schools her father might open. Unlike some fathers, Malala's encourages her to learn, and learn she does. But then powerful and dangerous men forbade girls from attending school. Malala deftly handles the most difficult parts of her story. She notes simply that the men used weapons to attempt to silence her powerful voice. But they failed. The book then describes how Malala went on to become a household name. Artistically, the illustrations feel a bit lighthearted and casual, though there are plenty of moving scenes, and the decorative touches are nicely enhancing. Malala's messages of inclusivity, girls' rights, and strength through knowledge come across loud and clear.--Cooper, Ilene Copyright 2017 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Yousafzai, the youngest winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, grew up in Pakistan dreaming of possessing a magic pencil like the one on her favorite TV show. At first, she believes that such a pencil could solve any problem-from keeping her brothers out of her room to erasing war, poverty, hunger, and gender disparity. But as Malala grows, so does her sense of purpose and agency; she realizes that change comes not from magic, but from the force of her own words and ideas. When "powerful and dangerous men" (the unnamed Taliban-an afterword provides details) forbid girls from attending school, she speaks up; when "they tried to silence me," an allusion to her near-fatal shooting, "they failed." Kerascoët's bright, reportorial watercolors match the text's directness and sincerity, adding gold embellishments to give Malala's hopes and optimism a radiant physicality. The Malala in these pages is both approachable and extraordinary: even at her most vulnerable, turned away from readers and looking out the window of a darkened hospital room, her determination seems unstoppable. Ages 4-8. Author's agent: Karolina Sutton, Curtis Brown U.K. Illustrator's agent: Kirsten Hall, Catbird Agency. (Oct.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 3 Up-Yousafzai, the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize and campaigner for the rights of all children to attend school, has written her first picture book. It is an autobiographical account of her life designed for younger readers. She gently introduces her childhood in Pakistan and recounts a favorite TV show where a young boy has a magic pencil that he uses to help people. The magic pencil becomes a reoccurring motif throughout the work on how to make the world a better place. Of the infamous Taliban violence, she simply says, "My voice became so powerful that the dangerous men tried to silence me. But they failed." The beautifully written book goes on to describe Yousafzai's quest for justice and the importance of finding one's voice. The enchanting story is accompanied by the beautiful illustrations of duo Sebastien Cosset and Maries Pommepuy, also known as "Kerascoët." Sparse pen and ink outlines the bright, soft watercolors that effortlessly depict Yousafzai's daily life and then are enhanced by delicate gold overlay drawings that highlight her magical wishes for a better world and the power that a single voice can command. This is a wonderful read for younger students that will also provide insight and encourage discussion about the wider world. Included are biographical notes and photos of Yousafzai and her -family. VERDICT The simplicity of Yousafzai's writing and the powerful message she sends, make this book inspirational for all. Highly recommended.-Carole Phillips, Greenacres Elementary School, Scarsdale, NY © Copyright 2017. 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
As a girl, Malala Yousafzai enjoyed a TV show about a boy who used a magic pencil to solve problems. In child-friendly text, she first describes what she would do if she had a magic pencil: stop time so I could sleep an extra hour every morningerase the smell of the trash dump near our house. She wondered about her own dreams and the dreams of other girls. In her society, would they have the opportunity to fulfill their dreams? If she had that magic pencil she could change the world! First, I would erase war, poverty, and hunger. Then I would draw girls and boys together as equals. Knowing that a magic pencil wasnt a reality, Malala began to focus on what she loved most--school, and speaking out against oppression. Yousafzai gently indicates in the book when others wanted to silence her but did not succeed, leaving the true, violent details out of this picture-book narration; minimal text on an all-black page hints at the darkness of her enemies actions against her. The ink and watercolor illustrations by Kerascot (a husband-and-wife team) use pastel shades and earth-tone hues to show details of the young Malalas culture and call attention to her dreams, wishes, and actions. In this book Yousafzai shows the world that its never wrong to dream and hope. But dreaming is not enough--you have to take action and lend your voice. Yousafzai did, and continues to be that voice that speaks for all. aishah abdul-musawwir (c) Copyright 2017. 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.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
The latest of many picture books about the young heroine from Pakistan, this one is narrated by Malala herself, with a frame that is accessible to young readers. Malala introduces her story using a television show she used to watch about a boy with a magic pencil that he used to get himself and his friends out of trouble. Readers can easily follow Malala through her own discovery of troubles in her beloved home village, such as other children not attending school and soldiers taking over the village. Watercolor-and-ink illustrations give a strong sense of setting, while gold ink designs overlay Malala's hopes onto her often dreary reality. The story makes clear Malala's motivations for taking up the pen to tell the world about the hardships in her village and only alludes to the attempt on her life, with a black page ("the dangerous men tried to silence me. / But they failed") and a hospital bracelet on her wrist the only hints of the harm that came to her. Crowds with signs join her call before she is shown giving her famous speech before the United Nations. Toward the end of the book, adult readers may need to help children understand Malala's "work," but the message of holding fast to courage and working together is powerful and clear. An inspiring introduction to the young Nobel Peace Prize winner and a useful conversation starter. (Picture book/memoir. 5-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
