Alicia Alonso

Prima Ballerina

This post is part of Nonfiction Monday 

hosted today by Rasco from RIF

Marshall Cavendish Childrens

(pub. 9.1.2011)  32 pages 

A True Tale with A Cherry On Top

A uthor: Carmen T. Bernier-Grand
     and Illustrator:  Raul Colon

C haracter:   Alicia Alonso

 

O verview from the jacket flap: 

         "Alica Alonso's artistic achievements are remarkable, considering that she became partially blind and lost her peripheral vision at age nineteen.  From childhood, she exhibited a passion for dancing, studying first in Cuba and later in New York City, where she became an overnight sensation in Giselle and was promoted to principal dancer in the Ballet Theater. Returning to Cuba in 1948, she founded her own company ... In 1959, the Cuban government gave her enough money to establish a new dance school, Ballet National de Cuba, which Alonso directs to this day.
           In elegant free verse and with stunning artwork, Carmen T. Bernier-Grand and Raul Colon have captured the seminal events in Alonso's life.  Her drive to put her art above all other concerns and influences, no matter how difficult, will impress any aspiring artist."

 

T antalizing taste: 

     "I Still Have Time

Although Alicia
is not performing,
she is still
on center stage.
She listens
to the music,
choreographs
in her mind,
explains
to ballet masters.
How would you like
to be remembered?
'I'm telling you,'
Alicia answers.
'There is a future
ahead. Ask me
in two hundred years."

"When I live, I take advantage of the little time I have to live.
When I dance, I take advantage of the little time I have to dance."
              -Alicia Alonso
               Prima Ballerina Assoluta

and something more:   I've always thought that the cover of a picture book should not only include the names of the author and illustrator, but also the names of the editor and art director who have the vision and expertise to bring the book to fruition.

But a dedication is the next best thing. Carmen T. Bernier-Grand, author of Alicia Alonso - Prima Ballerina, dedicates the book "To Margery Cuyler, choreographer of this ballet of words."

I too am so thankful that Margery Cuyler, Publisher of Marshall Cavendish Childrens, was the editor of my book, My Hands Sing the Blues.  In that book, I recognized Margery as "editor extraordinaire." Throughout the editing process, Margery gently and expertly guided me. Her suggestions were always spot on, and showed a respect for my vision.

And, thank you to Anahid Hamparian, the art director who chose the amazing Elizabeth Zunon to illustrate My Hands Sing the Blues, and also designed the wonderful layout and chose the varied intriguing typefaces for the book.

Thank you Margery and Anahid!

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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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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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Dave the Potter -- Artist, Poet, Slave

* This post is part of the children's Nonfiction Monday
hosted today by The Miss Rumphius Effect * 

Little Brown and Company (pub. 9.7.2010)
40 pages  Grades K-4

A True Tale with A Cherry On Top 

A uthor:  LABAN CARRICK HILL

               and Illustrator:  BRYAN COLLIER

C haracter: Dave, a South Carolina artist,

                     potter and poet who inscribed
                     his poems on the pots he created
                     even though it was illegal for slaves
                     to read or write

O verview from the jacket flap:                                           

"To us                                                                              
it is just dirt,
the ground we walk on...
But to Dave
it was clay,
the plain and basic stuff
upon which he formed a life
as a slave nearly 200 years ago.

      Dave was an extraordinary artist, poet, and potter who lived in South Carolina in the 1800s.  He combined his superb artistry with deeply observant poetry, carved on his pots, transcending the limitations he faced as a slave.  In this inspiring and lyrical portrayal... Dave's remarkable story [is] one rich in history, hope, and long-lasting beauty."

T antalizing taste:

"Each one began

out of clouds of dust,

clotted clumps of clay

ground in the pug mill and carried,

wheelbarrow after wheelbarrow,

to Dave's spinning potter's wheel."

and something more:  Bravo!  Just two weeks ago, it was announced that the children's picture book biography, DAVE THE POTTER, was named a Caldecott Honor Book, and Bryan Collier will be presented with the Coretta Scott King Book Award recognizing an African American illustrator of outstanding books for children and young adults. "Bryan Collier has crafted a stunning visual tribute to the life of an unsung American artist," said Jonda C. McNair, award jury chair.

      Bryan Collier's incredible watercolor and collage illustrations, with powerful words and images of people woven into the backgrounds, remind me of the art of Romare Bearden. After being captivated by his work shown at an exhibit at SFMOMA curated by Ruth Fine of The National Gallery, I wrote a picture book about him (MY HANDS SING THE BLUES illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon, Marshall Cavendish Childrens, Fall 2011).  When I toured school groups at this exhibit, children were mesmerized by the amazing collages and always found a sense of connection to the stories and people in Romare Bearden's art.  

     Bryan Collier's biography says that "he directs mural programs throughout the city for any child who wants to paint."  What a wonderful gift he is sharing! After being Program Director for 12 years, he still volunteers with the Harlem Horizon Studio and Harlem Hospital Center with a program that provides working space and materials for self-taught artists in the community. 
     As he explains, "It gives the community, the schools, the kids, and the parents the opportunity to come together for a very positive uplifting cause - the building and re-building of self-esteem, teaching the appreciation of art, and keeping the kids connected and involved and away from negative influences."

     Bryan's Collier's dedication in DAVE THE POTTER says "I dedicate this book to all artists, and everyone who loves picture books.  Because this story is really about the power of the human spirit, artistry, and truth, and that cannot be silenced by bondage of any kind."

     The power of words and art is embodied in Dave's poetry and the art of his pottery, and the poetry and illustrations of DAVE THE POTTER.

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Me, Frida

Abrams Books for Young Readers (pub. 10.1.2010)

32 pages

A True Tale with A Cherry On Top
 

A uthor:  AMY NOVESKY

               and Illustrator:  DAVID DIAZ

C haracters:

Frida Kahlo, an artist from Mexico

Diego Rivera, Frida’s husband
                        and an artist from Mexico

O verview from the jacket flap:

    “Like a tiny bird in a big city, Frida Kahlo feels lost and lonely when she first arrives in San Francisco [California in 1930] with her husband, the famous artist Diego Rivera ... Frida wants to be a painter, too.

     But as Frida begins to explore San Francisco on her own, she discovers more than ... beauty, diversity, and exuberance ...  Frida finds the inspiration she needs ...
     Me, Frida is an exhilarating story that encourages young readers to believe in themselves so they can make their own dreams soar."
 

T antalizing taste: 

"She took a ferry across the Golden Gate and walked
in the green headlands high above the ocean.
     For there, she could see the entire glittering
city and all it held, including Diego.  It was small
enough to fit on the wing of a bird.
     For once, Frida felt larger than life.  Me, Frida!
     She felt like she could fly."

and something more:  The Author's Note in the new children's picture book biography, Me, Frida, includes a reproduction of Frida Kahlo's painting, Frieda [as she sometimes spelled her name] and Diego Rivera.  If you ever have the chance, be sure to visit the painting at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (usually displayed on the second floor) and check out the interactive multimedia about Frida Kahlo on the SFMOMA website (in English and Spanish).

     When I was a docent at SFMOMA, I always included this painting in my tours for school groups.  Be sure to compare the size of Frida's shoes and Diego's shoes -- not true to life, but instead echoing Amy Novesky's lyrical text: "She painted Diego big, and she painted herself small, just as the world saw them."  But, as the story shows, Frida felt "larger than life" and her dreams soared.
     For older readers (ages 12 and up), the book Frida !Viva la vida! Long Live Life! (Marshall Cavendish Children) by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand pairs powerful biographical poems with Frida's artwork (23 paintings). Carmen writes about the painting, Frieda and Diego Rivera:

"Wednesday, August 21, 1929

Coyoacan - Today the marriage
between the elephant and a dove...
Frida Kahlo wore
a Tehuana peasant dress
and a rebozo created by the people
for the people
who belong to the people."

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