The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse

This post is part of Nonfiction Monday 

hosted today by Jennifer at Jean Little Library

Philomel Books (Penguin Young Readers Group)

(pub. 10.24.2011)  32 pages 

A True Tale with A Cherry On Top

A uthor and illustrator: Eric Carle

C haracter: a boy (and the artists, Franz Marc and Eric Carle)

O verview from the jacket flap: 

"In this book, a child paints a blue horse. Then, with growing confidence, the young artist joyfully paints a series of other animals in bold, unrealistic colors and forms... Through his eloquent pictures and an almost wordless text, Eric Carle will inspire young artists everywhere to use their imaginations. They don't have to 'stay within the lines.' And there certainly are no 'wrong' colors. Here is a book to give all children confidence in their own creativity!"

T antalizing taste: There are only about 50 words in this book, and these are my favorite: "I am a good artist." 

and something more: In The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse, Eric Carle's homage to not only Franz Marc, but his childhood art teacher is so touching.  The back cover explains that, "Eric Carle was born in the United States but grew up in Germany, where he spent his boyhood during World War II.  There, his high school art teacher secretly showed him works by the so-called 'degenerate artists.' These artists, banned by the Nazi regime, were actually the leading masters of modern and abstract art, among them Franz Marc, whose work was not permitted to be shown in public."

       The note at the end of the book explains that when Eric Carle's art teacher, Herr Krauss, secretly showed him some of the forbidden art, he explained,  "'I like the freedom and loosesness in the way you draw and paint ... but I am only permitted to teach realistic art.'"  Eric Carle pays tribute to his art teacher, "My green lion, polka-dotted donkey and other animals painted in the 'wrong' colors were really born that day seventy years ago." Thank you, Herr Krauss, for sharing the banned art with Eric Carle -- oh, how I love the art of his picture books!

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Olivia's Birds

Saving the Gulf

This post is part of Nonfiction Monday 

hosted today by Practically Paradise

Sterling Children's Books

(pub. 4.5.2011)  32 pages 

A True Tale with A Cherry On Top

A uthor and illustrator: 11-year old Olivia Bouler 

C haracters: birds

 

O verview from the jacket flap: 

         "Written in her own words, this spectacular picture book by budding ornithologist and artist Olivia Bouler is a unique field guide to backyard and endangered birds... it brings the beauty of more than fifty different birds to life and celebrates her brave efforts to save those affected by the 2010 Gulf oil spill... Also included are easy-to-do, everyday ways kids of all ages can get involved, take a stand, and make the world a cleaner, safer, better place." 

 

T antalizing taste: 

     "In April 2010, my grandparents told me about a giant oil spill that had happened in the Gulf of Mexico, deep under the water. The oil was going to hurt all kinds of marine animals that lived there, including birds like pelicans that have just come off the endangered species lists.  I got really upset. My first memory of birds is of the Brown Pelicans and the Great Blue Herons that live in Alabama. My granny and granddad would take me fishing and show me those beautiful birds. Who was going to save them?"

and something more:   During this season of giving, I thought it was particularly appropriate to highlight Olivia Bouler's generous gifts of her time, efforts, and creativity.  The "About the Author" of Olivia's Birds Saving the Gulf states that "... Olivia received the ASPCA's 'Tommy P. Monahan' Kid of the Year Award for her commitment and dedication to animal welfare.  She currently spends much of her time working on various environmental efforts and attending speaking engagements aross the country on behalf of bird and wildlife advocacy.  To date, Olivia has drawn over 120 different species of birds and created over 500 paintings to raise more than $150,000 for her Save the Gulf campaign."  Bravo!  What a great role model for other kids AND adults. My favorite illustration painted by Olivia is the watercolor of the three vivid blue birds swirling around the globe.  Terrific!

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Levi Strauss Gets a Bright Idea

A Fairly Fabricated Story
of a Pair of Pants

This post is part of Nonfiction Monday 

hosted today by Gathering Books

Harcourt Childrens Books (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)

(pub. 9.13.2011)  32 pages 

A True Tale with A Cherry On Top 

A uthor: Tony Johnston
and illustrator:  Stacy Innerst

C haracter: Levi Strauss

 

O verview from the publisher: 

        "What's a California miner to do when gold dust sifts right out of his holey pockets? With such a raggedy wardrobe, he may as well be mining in the vanilla - that is, his birthday suit!  Good thing Levi Strauss is out west, ready with his needle and a head full of bright ideas. With some quick thinking, quicker stitching, and handy arithmetic, Levi keeps all the gold rushers clothed - and become a modern American hero."

 

T antalizing taste: 

       "GOLD! somebody yelled. Next thing anybody knew, the whole world rushed to California an started digging up the place. The trouble was, they rushed so fast, they lost their pants.'"

and something more:   In Levi Strauss Gets a Bright Idea, Tony Johnston weaves, sews and tailors a wonderfully humorous tale about Levi Strauss.  I love that Stacy Innerst chose to paint the pictures on old Levi's.  Since I live in Levi Strauss territory (San Francisco area), I often walk through the lovely Levi Plaza. And there's a fun set of displays featuring the history of Levi's in the visitors center at Levis headquarters there at 1155 Battery Street.  Gotta love Levis!

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Joan of Arc

This post is part of Nonfiction Monday 

hosted today by A Curious Thing

Marshall Cavendish Childrens

(pub. 9.1.2011)  40 pages 

A True Tale with A Cherry On Top

A uthor and illustrator: Demi

C haracter: Joan of Arc

 

O verview from the jacket flap:

        "As a young girl in a small village in France, Joan prayed daily that France would be delivered from the English and Burgundian invaders who were ravishing the country. When Joan was thirteen, she had a life-changing experience. The archangel Michael appeared in a vision and told her that she would save the kingdom of France and lead the dauphin (heir to the throne) to Reims Cathedral to be crowned king. Calling herself the Maid of God, Joan set off to gather an army, win a number of crucial battles, and install the dauphin on the French throne..."

 

T antalizing taste: 

       "'Joan's great confidence inspired everyone, and soon the battle for Orleans began ... With her banner that said, "Jesus, Maria' raised high, she gave great courage and hope to all the soldiers... Never stopping for a moment of praise ..."

and something more:  Exquisite is truly the word that comes to mind when I savored Demi's illustrations.  The jacket flap explains that "Demi has drawn Joan’s battles and triumphs with exquisite detail inspired by the stained glass, architecture, painting, and sculpture of the fifteenth century." 

Demi so aptly conveys the bleakness of Joan of Arc's situation when she was "shut up in a dungeon at Rouen ... guarded night and day by soldiers and forced to endure their brutality" by rendering the illustration of the curving stone stairs and ceiling of the dungeon in pen and ink on a gray background with only the people in color -- such a contrast to all the illustrations of radiant color and glimmering gold.  Exquisite!

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Diego Rivera

His World and Ours

This post is part of Nonfiction Monday 

hosted today by books together

Abrams Books for Young Readers

(pub. 5.1.2011)  40 pages 

A True Tale with A Cherry On Top

A uthor and illustrator: Duncan Tonatiuh

C haracter: the artist Diego Rivera

 

O verview from the jacket flap: 

         "Diego Rivera, one of the most famous painters of the twentieth century, was once just a mischievous little boy who loved to draw. But this little boy would grow up to follow his passion and greatly influence the world of art ...
          Duncan Tonatiuh, who has also been inspired by the art and culture of his native Mexico, asks, if Diego was still painting today, what history would he tell through his artwork? What stories would he bring to life?  Drawing inspiration from Rivera to create his own original work, Tonatiuh helps young readers to understand the importance of Diego Rivera's artwork and to realize that they too can tell stories through art." 

 

T antalizing taste: 

     "'Diego imagined everyone - men and women, boys and girls, of all ages and nationalities - living together and caring for one another.  Today Diego is not around to make this happen. So it is up to us to make our own murals and bring them to life."

and something more:   I was intrigued by the author/illustrator Duncan Tonatiuh's inspiration for Diego Rivera - His World and Ours as he described in the Author's Note: 
        "What I admire most about Rivera is the way in which he looked back at the art of ancient Mexico and was able to incorporate some of its aesthetic into his own work. He combined that ancient art with the art of the modern era and was able to create something new and exciting, but also relevant to an entire nation In my artwork I look back to ancient Mexican at also. I combine these ancient art styles with the art of the digital era.  I remember standing on the stairs of the National Palace in Mexico, looking at Rivera's mural and thinking what would he paint nowadays? What would he paint in the world of cell phones and the web 2.0? And with that thought this book was ignited." 
          What a great idea for a picture book  -- to not only describe Diego Rivera and his art, but to compare the focus of Rivera's art to modern day activities (such as factory workers on production lines compared to students plugged into music and computers).  It made me wonder, what might the focus of other artists be if they painted today?  Perhaps Degas' hip hop dancers?  Any other ideas?
     

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Drawing From Memory

This post is part of Nonfiction Monday 

hosted today by Playing by the Book

Scholastic Press

(pub. 9.1.2011)  72 pages 

A True Tale with A Cherry On Top

A uthor and illustrator: Allen Say

C haracter: himself - Caldecott Medalist Allen Say

 

O verview from the jacket flap: 

         "This is Allen Say's own story of his path to becoming the renowned artist he is today. Shunned by his father, who didn't understand his son's artistic leanings, Allen was embraced by Noro Shinpei, Japan's leading cartoonist and the man he came to love as his 'spiritual father.' As World War II raged, Allen was further inspired to consider questions of his own heritage and the motivations of those around him. He worked hard in rigorous drawing classes, studied, trained and ultimately came to understand who he really is." 

 

T antalizing taste: 

     "'You are going to the great land of freedom,' he said. 'But remember that no man is entirely free of anything. Artists are bound to their art. Be true to your art, Kiyoi, and journey well.'
     'Show them how good you are,' Tokida said, and he gave me a smile to remember.
     'Good-bye, brother. Good-bye, Sensei.' I was glad they didn't look back. I was sobbing in public."

and something more:   I was fascinated not only by the autobiographical story of Allen Say and his artistic journey and connections, but also by the format of Drawing From Memory -- part memoir, part graphic novel, part narrative history, complete with photographs and illustrations by Allen Say.
       In the touching Author's Note, Allen Say refers to an old Japanese saying he first heard from his mother - "Let your dear child journey."  I think that's so lovely, and truly a goal for me as a children's book author.  And I echo the wish for all creative people, especially children's authors,"Be true to your art ... and journey well."

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The East-West House

The East-West House
Noguchi's Childhood in Japan

This post is part of Nonfiction Monday 

hosted today by Jean Little Library

Lee & Low Books 

(pub. 8.1.2009)  28 pages 

A True Tale with A Cherry On Top 

A uthor and illustrator: Christy Hale

    

C haracter: artist Isamu Noguchi

 

O verview from the jacket flap: 

"Isamu was a boy of the East and the West. Born in the United States to a Japanese father and Scoth-Irish American mother, Isamu grew up in Japan. From his earliest years he felt the tug of his biracial heritage, never quite fitting in or thinking he belonged. Pleasure came, however, from the natural world... Noguchi created a vast array of innovative sculptures, stage sets, furniture, and public spaces. The East-West House is a tribute to the artistic beginnnings of this pioneering modern sculptor and designer."

T antalizing taste:  

                          

"With the world in his hands his imagination soared. And where emptiness once lived, Isamu created home."

and something more:  

Two of my Bay Area writer friends, Amy Novesky and Amy Gibson suggested the picture book biography, The East-West House, for my blog written and illustrated by another local author, Christy Hale.  Christy's lyrical text and Japanese-inspired illustrations captivated me as I learned about Noguchi's childhood and the influences which contributed to his beautiful sculptures.

I've always been fascinated that Noguchi collaborated with the modern dancer pioneer, Martha Graham, and designed theater sets for her performances.  I liked what Christy says in the back matter: Noguchi's sets "allowed dancers and objects to move freely through space. Noguchi came to think of sculpture as more than just static, three-dimensional objects. His sculptures expressed movement. They presented different views and changing patterns of light and shadow, and gave space a sense of depth."  The perfect type of setting for modern dance!

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Around the World on Eighty Legs

Around the World on Eighty Legs:
Animal Poems

This post is part of Nonfiction Monday 

hosted today by Apple With Many Seeds

Scholastic Press

(pub. 3.1.2011)  56 pages 

A True Tale with A Cherry On Top

A uthor: Amy Gibson
     and illustrator:  Daniel Salmieri

C haracters: animals from around the world

 

O verview from the jacket flap: 

"Pack your bags and put on your travelin' shoes ... There's an animal adventure waiting for you!  Awake with the howler monkeys, twist into a pretzel like a quetzal, hang with a sloth, be willy-nilly like a chinchilla.

Squawk with an auk, bump your rump like a camel, be silly with a bilby, and drift off to sleep in the deep of the outback.

Fun-filled and fact-packed, Around the World on Eighty Legs is the ticket to an unforgettable adventure!"

T antalizing taste:
                          WEDDELL SEAL

                          

                          "The Weddell seal's

                           a poor landlubber,

                          lumbering under

                          all that blubber.

                          But in the sea,

                          the joke's on you -

                          He's toasty warm.

                          You're turning blue."

and something more:   I met the wonderful children's book author, Amy Gibson, this past weekend at the northern California SCBWI Fall Conference held at Mills College. Amy and I were on a panel together, and the other terrific speakers included agent Deborah Warren (East/West Literary Agency), editor Andrea Welch (Beach Lane Books), senior editor Schuyler Hooke (Random House Books), agent Paul Rodeen (Rodeen Literary Management), and children's book authors Deborah Lee Rose, Eric Elfman, Nikki Smith, Naheed Hasnat, Rose Cooper, and Diana Greenwood. 
     Amy spoke about the road to the publication of this fun and informative picture book, Around the World on Eighty Legs. And thank goodness the book was published because kids, families, teachers and librarians will love this "trip around the world."
     The "Menagerie of Facts" at the back of the book is filled with intriguing information about all the animals.  I loved these facts about the Weddell seal -- "Weddell seals spend lots of time beneath the ice, diving over 2,000 feet and holding their breath for over an hour. They look like they're smiling. Perhaps they are ..."  Of course, I had to search for Google images of the Weddell seals ... and they DO look like they are smiling!

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Odetta

The Queen of Folk

This post is part of Nonfiction Monday 

hosted today by Practically Paradise

Scholastic House
(pub. 12.1.2010)  40 pages

A True Tale with A Cherry On Top
  
A uthor of the idea and Illustrator: Stephen Alcorn

      and Poem: Samantha Thornhill 

C haracter: Odetta

 

O verview from the jacket flap: 

        "Born in Birmingham, Alabama, this child soon learned to make a whole heap of noise on her auntie's piano. Then she discovered her own instrument - a voice full of brass and thunder! And, oh, did she have songs to sing - spirituals gospel, and work songs. With the help of Baby her guitar, Odetta blazed a musical trail for a generation of folksingers. Her life and times are presented here in a poetic narrative embellished with luminous paintings that create a loving tribute to folk music's queen."

 

T antalizing taste:

       "Odetta found freedom by accident the day she opened her mouth, then closed her eyes and sang. For once she saw no color. That's when she shook hands with Harmony!"

and something more: "Ode to Odetta" at the end of Odetta - The Queen of Folk includes a wonderful photo of Odetta and Stephen Alcorn taken by his wife, Sabina Alcorn.  I was fascinated to learn that "Odetta is the one Bob Dylan credits for his decision (made while still a teenager) to trade in his electric guitar for an acoustic one, thus heralding his entry into the realm of folk music."  What a gift that was to music!

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Dream Something Big

The Story of the Watts Towers

This post is part of Nonfiction Monday 

hosted *here today*
by True Tales & A Cherry On Top

Links to wonderful books and reviews
are listed below!  Thanks for joining us!

Dial Books for Young Readers (Penguin)

(pub. 8.18.2011)  40 pages 

A True Tale with A Cherry On Top 

A uthor: Diana Hutts Aston
and collages:  Susan L. Roth

C haracters: Simon Rodia and the Watts Towers

 

O verview from the publisher: 

        "Uncle Sam's dream began with something tiny - just one single chip of broken tile that he found on the street. But that little chip became the first building block to a U.S. National Landmark. Day after day, year after year, a young girl named Marguerite watches Uncle Sam turn thousands of seashells, tiles, mirrors, and rocks into a group of glorious, nearly 100-foot-tall towers - which later become known as the Watts Towers..."

 

T antalizing taste: 

       "Uncle Sam was like a spider weaving his web of steel and cement and lacy shadows.'"

and something more:  I learned that the illustrator of this picture book biography, Susan Roth, who now lives in NYC studied art at Mills College.  My connections to Mills College are that my mother-in-law studied there, and in October I'll be on a panel at the norcal SCBWI conference there.  It's such a lovely campus and always a treat to be there.
     I was intrigued to read about Susan Roth's collage illustrations, as described on her website: "All but the first two of her 40 books are illustrated with cut and torn papers from all over the world, and bits of many other things, too: threads, fabrics, wood shavings, photographs, doilies, insides of envelopes, dried flowers. She is always looking for things to glue onto her pictures that she hopes are full of surprises."
     And it's always so interesting to hear about someone's passion, collage in Susan Roth's case:  "I don't paint. Over the years I have developed my collage technique into one which is exclusively faithful to cutting and tearing. From the most complete background papers to the tiniest dots of eyes and I's, I only cut or rip. This has become a real issue for me. I wear my 'no pencils, pens nor paints' sign like a badge of honor." The descriptions of her workspace reminded me of photos of Romare Bearden's studio -- paper and materials everywhere.  The makings of creativity!

**********************************************************


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at True Tales & A Cherry On Top!

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Thanks for joining the Nonfiction Monday Round-Up!

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Jim Henson

The Guy Who Played with Puppets

This post is part of Nonfiction Monday 

hosted today by Tales from the Rushmore Kid

Random House 
(pub. 8.23.2011)  40 pages

A True Tale with A Cherry On Top
  
A uthor: Kathleen Krull

      and Paintings: Steve Johnson and Lou Fancherr

C haracter: Jim Henson

 

O verview from the jacket flap: 

        "What do you want to be when you grow up? A teacher? A poet? The president? Well, Jim Henson wanted to play with puppets.  If you want to make the world a better place, making people happy is a great way to start ..."

 

T antalizing taste:

       "Jim hesitated. The show had a weird name - Sesame Street. Joan [the TV producer] explained that just as the command 'Open Sesame' in the old Arabian tale opened a door to treasure, she wanted her show to open doors in young minds.  Jim wasn't sure he wanted to limit his Muppets to children. But years of watching his own children convinced him... Maybe TV could be a good influence." 

and something more:
Kathleen Krull was awarded the 2011 Children's Book Guild Nonfiction Award, and I liked what the site said about her writing and biographies: "What draws her to writing biographies?  As a self-confessed 'nosy' person, Krull enjoys researching the details that spice a life and offer insight into personality and accomplishments.  But biographies also 'fill a great need,' she says.  'We read them to find out who we are.'  By discovering how we resemble and differ from others, be they ordinary or extraordinary, says Krull, we learn 'something about our own identity, our goals, our possibilities in life.'  She considers it a privilege to help young readers in this search."  I couldn't agree more!

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Orani

My Family's Village

This post is part of Nonfiction Monday 

hosted today by Wrapped in Foil

Frances Foster Books (Farrar Straus Giroux)

(pub. 7.19.2011)  40 pages 

A True Tale with A Cherry On Top

A uthor and illustrator: Claire Nivola
  
C haracter: Claire Nivola and Orani, her childhood village

 

O verview from the jacket flap: 

        "As a child, Claire Nivola loved visiting Orani, a tiny village nestled among the mountains of central Sardinia in the heart of the Mediterranean.  It was there that her father had been born, one of ten children in a family so poor that he had to share a bed with five of his siblings. And it was there, when Claire returned with him years later, that she learned about life and death, about the ways of nature and of the human family..."

 

T antalizing taste:

       "More cousins appeared and we scattered like birds. Our sandals clattering on the paving stones, we flew along the alleys - up to the right, down sharply to the left, out into the blazing brightness of a piazza." 

and something more:
I savored Claire Nivola's description of her village in the Author's Note in Orani My Father's Village: "Orani was a complete world and just the right scale for a child. Everything happened there - all the tragedies and joys - but they happened in a contained place, among family and neighbors, where everyone knew and cared so that as a child I could comprehend and feel that each part fit into life's whole.  It was there that I saw where the things I ate came from - the tree, the plant, the animal - and how each food was made by the work of someone's hands. In Orani, I felt at the literal source of everything, and how thrilling that was!"  And her wonderful detailed illustrations convey this sense of connection.

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My Hands Sing the Blues

Romare Bearden's
Childhood Journey

This post is part of Nonfiction Monday 

hosted today by Playing By The Book

Marshall Cavendish Children

(pub. 9.1.2011)  40 pages 

A True Tale with A Cherry On Top

A uthor: Jeanne Walker Harvey
     and Illustrator:  Elizabeth Zunon

C haracter: Romare Bearden

 

O verview from the jacket flap: 

         "As a young boy growing up in North Carolina, Romare Bearden listened to his great-grandmother's Cherokee stories and the whistles of trains steaming through town.
     When Romare's family, faced with Jim Crow laws, decided to head north, tears stung Romare's eyes as he watched the world whiz by out the train window.  Later he captured his childhood memories in a famous painting, Watching the Good Trains Go By.  Using that painting as inspiration and creating a text influenced by the blues and jazz that Bearden loved, Jeanne Walker Harvey has created a story of Bearden's childhood.  She describes the patchwork of daily southern life that he saw from the train's window and the story of his arrival in shimmering New York City." 

 

T antalizing taste: 

     " I snip a patch of color and add a cut-out face.
      Oh! I glue on jazzy blue for sky and add another face.
      People walk into my work as if it's always been their place.

      My hands sing the blues when I paint and cut and paste.
      I never know what I’ll create when I paint and cut and paste.
      I use paper, fabrics, photos, and nothing goes to waste.”

and something more:   At first I hesitated to write this post about my own book, My Hands Sing the Blues - Romare Bearden's Childhood Journey, which was released this week!  But then I decided I wanted to sing about it from the rooftops (and my blog) -- it's such an exciting event for me.  A dream come true! 
        I first had the idea to write this book in 2004 when, as a docent at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, I gave tours to school groups of an incredible Bearden exhibit organized by The National Gallery (Ruth Fine, curator and author of the comprehensive The Art of Romare Bearden which I studied).  During my tours at SFMOMA, I could barely move the students to the next painting because they were so fascinated by Romare Bearden's huge collages and the stories they told. 
         So many people have been part of this book journey with me.  I dedicated the book to my mom -- "For my mother, June, who always inspires me to put a beat of color on an empty canvas." It's true -- she embodies creativity and instilled a love of it (and modern art) in me.  My dear husband and my wonderful sons have always been my biggest supporters and early readers of my drafts.  And I also owe heartfelt thanks to my dad, my family and wonderful friends who always encourage me, the San Francisco Docent Program that inspired me to write this book, my writer mentors (including Uma Krishnaswami who kept my writing spark lit when I was doubting myself, and Anastasia Suen whose courses kept me focused and inspired, and Amy Novesky who has included me in the warmth of her writing groups), and Margery Cuyler, an amazing editor at Marshall Cavendish (and author of many children's books also), who artfully guided me to rethink the text in just the right spots, and the incredibly talented artist Elizabeth Zunon, who is truly the best illustrator I can imagine for this book, and Lucy, my 11 year old black Lab who patiently listened as I read my many drafts aloud over and over and over again.  Thank you to all!

            "When I put a beat of color on an empty canvas,
                  I never know what's coming down the track." 

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