Review by Booklist Review
The prose poetry collection The Prophet has been one of the most translated and best-selling collections since its publication in 1923. In this picture-book biography of its author, Khalil Gibran, McCarthy borrows the title from one of The Prophet's poems. Lyrical text, interspersed with quotes from Gibran's poetry, describes the writer's childhood in Lebanon, religious tension in his homeland, and his family's move to Boston. McCarthy, also Lebanese American, emphasizes the duality Gibran experienced as he was caught between two cultures, especially when Gibran was sent back to Beirut for a formal education and then returned to the U.S. to establish his career in art and writing. Holmes' skillfully patterned collages reinforce Gibran's complex life through symbolic imagery and color, with lighter, earth-toned shades in Lebanon and deeper shades in Gibran's crowded Boston neighborhood. While the overall effect is lovely, young readers may need adults to fill in vague descriptions. A lengthy author's note with photos of Gibran and additional stories of his life help fill in some of these gaps.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
This striking biography of Khalil Gibran (1883--1931) portrays the poet as a sensitive boy long torn between two countries. The book is founded on an image from Gibran's 1923 classic, The Prophet: of children described as the arrows shot from the bow that is their parents. McCarthy weaves the simile of "a boy shot from a bow like an arrow" throughout, portraying Gibran as a child with "a secret hope" of connecting people through love and understanding. Violent clashes in Lebanon deeply trouble young Gibran, and drive his Maronite family to the U.S. where, in Boston, "people spit at his family's differences." There, Gibran begins to express himself through art, and travels between the two countries result in early writings and eventual success. Holmes's bold, color-saturated collages and acrylics are a stirring match for McCarthy's poetic prose--the family sails across "the deeper, darker Atlantic Ocean, which murmured like a giant in its sleep"--in a telling that emphasizes the figure's complexity. Extensive back matter expands on Gibran's life story. Ages 6--9. (June)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 4--This poignant, brilliant biography about Gibran Kahlil Gibran (The Prophet), a Lebanese and American poet and artist of international renown, creates a beautiful space for Gibran to live on for this generation. Bursting with brilliant collage and acrylic artwork and incorporating Gibran's own poetry during stirring moments of crisis and reflection, McCarthy and Holmes develop a picture book steeped in facts, artistically bold and texturally captivating, while also connecting to relatable social-emotional issues. Framed around Gibran's hope for humanity to find peace, McCarthy's rich prose follows Gibran's life as a child, from Lebanon to the United States, to his further journeys abroad. Most significant is when he loses part of his Maronite identity as a child, when "Gibran" is taken from the first part of his name in Boston. He soon discovers expression through art, and it's a defining moment in his life. In each place he lives, Gibran observes or suffers intolerance, unkindness, and a lack of understanding amongst disparate cultures. This, along with his initial hope as a child, fuels his art and identity. McCarthy's inclusion of similes and lyricism further connects ideas of Americanization, immigration, cultural identity, socioeconomic background, and religious intolerance to contemporary society. Extensive back matter provides further biographical information and references. VERDICT A first purchase for all libraries serving children, this is a stunning biography.--Rachel Zuffa
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Review by Horn Book Review
In this picture-book biography, readers are introduced to artist and poet Kahlil Gibran (1883-1931), whose work The Prophet is one of the most widely translated books of poetry ever published. McCarthy takes readers from Gibran's childhood in politically fraught Lebanon; to his immigration to the U.S. and adolescence in Boston, where he missed his home ("Deep is your longing for the land of your memories") and where his talent as an artist was first noticed; to his return to Lebanon to study, where he began his journey as a poet. Inserting lines and stanzas from The Prophet throughout, McCarthy highlights the moments and episodes of Gibran's life that seem to have influenced his work. Holmes's (Dream Street, rev. 9/21) collage and acrylic illustrations work well to highlight the contrasting settings of Lebanon and Boston of the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries; her art is particularly stunning in the opening pages that depict Gibran's childhood days. Extensive source notes do much of the work fleshing out this biography by providing additional information about Gibran's life and work; also appended is a brief bibliography. Eric Carpenter July/August 2022 p.146(c) Copyright 2022. 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
A profile of the author of The Prophet, incorporating atmospheric images and phrases from his writings. In retracing the events of their subject's life, McCarthy focuses on two themes: the experience of growing up in two countries and Gibran's "secret hope" that through his art and words he would someday have a gift to give to the world. Born Gibran Khalil Gibran in Lebanon to the Maronite faith, he fled sectarian strife as a child to Boston, where his name was shortened. He was sent back to Lebanon to finish his education and meditate among the cedars and then wound up in New York ("the electric shining heart of America"), where, McCarthy writes, he painted and composed poems intended "to connect the people of Lebanon" and "help Americans come together in celebration of their many differences." His paintings and drawings, which ran to nudes, get little scrutiny here, but that inner dream was realized in a short but powerful book that has brought generations of readers "straight to the heart of hope." Appended source notes in smaller type add both psychological insight, with mention of his "existential depression" and emotionally abusive father, and biographical detail. Incorporating snippets of patterned and printed papers into stunning painted collage illustrations, Holmes creates images of dignified figures of various ages, mostly people of color, placed in diverse settings rich in hues that underscore the overall intensity of feeling. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A reverent invitation to an enduring classic for new audiences. (bibliography) (Picture-book biography. 6-9) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
