Tag Archives: Artists

Elem. – You Gotta Meet Mr. Pierce: The Storied Life of Folk Artist Elijah Pierce

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Lee, Chiquita Mullins, and Carmella Van Vleet. You Gotta Meet Mr. Pierce: The Storied Life of Folk Artist Elijah Pierce. Illustrated by Jennifer Mack-Watkins. Kokila, 2023. 978-0-593-40650-2. Unpaged. $18.99. Grades 1-3.

This fascinating picture book is a fictionalized account of the life of the African American folk artist Elijah Pierce. Born in Mississippi, Elijah was given a penknife as a young boy, which he used to whittle wood from a forest, creating animal figures or “…anything that came to mind….” Pierce learned the barbering trade and opened a barber shop in Columbus, but his passion for the wood arts remained with him his whole life. In this story, a boy comes into the barbershop with his dad, who tells him, “You gotta meet Mr. Pierce.” The barber-artist displays all his artistic creations in his shop and proceeds to show them to the boy after his haircut. Some are carved sculptures of a tiger and lion. Others are wall art like The Place of My Birth (1977), a carved and painted relief of a log cabin. Others depict stories from Pierce’s personal life, such as when he was falsely accused and accosted by an angry mob. Also displayed is what many call his masterpiece, The Book of Wood, created in 1932. Mr. Pierce carved Bible Stories on wooden panels, painted them and pasted them on cardboard to make a book. The unnamed boy, who was unsure of what to draw with the colored pencils from his mother, is now inspired to turn his own stories into art like his mentor. The artwork here is stunning. Mack-Watkins uses mokuhanga printmaking techniques and mixed media collages to create her drawings. The colors of the printed images are bold and vibrant and the observant reader will be able to pick out actual photos of a few animal carvings and of the artist’s family done as an overlay on the busy pages. The illustrator has truly captured the heart and  soul of this underrecognized African American’s talent. There is an author’s note that provides more details of Elijah’s life and an artist’s note that explains her techniques and preparation. Also included in the back is a gallery of Pierce’s art with titles and dates and a list of museums displaying his art.

THOUGHTS: This book is highly recommended for all elementary collections. Children will enjoy examining the images for the small details of the Caldecott quality art. This story could be paired with Bryant’s A Splash of Red: The Life and Art of Horace Pippin to do a compare and contrast activity of the two African American folk artists.

Picture Book
Historical Fiction

Elem. – Make Way: The Story of Robert McCloskey, Nancy Schön, and Some Very Famous Ducklings

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Kunkel, Angela Burke. Make Way: The Story of Robert McCloskey, Nancy Schön, and Some Very Famous Ducklings. Random House Studio, 2023. 978-0-593-37335-4. $19.99. 48 pages. Grades K-3.

As a boy in Hamilton, Ohio, Bob was always able to look at an object and draw or carve or sculpt it. As a young girl in Newton, Massachusetts, Nancy loved to work with nature to create three dimensional sculptures. Bob went on to study art in Boston. Nancy headed to the library after school to study ancient architecture. Both Nancy and Bob grew up hoping to one day be artists. Both faced rejection as they pursued their craft, yet both refused to give up. Eventually Bob came up with the idea to create a story about a family of ducks looking for a home in Boston’s Public Gardens. Make Way for Ducklings, published in 1941, became a classic children’s picture book and won a Caldecott Medal in 1942. Meanwhile, Nancy continued to struggle to find a place to belong. When her family moved to Boston Nancy would stroll through the Public Gardens. Inspired by a young child who wanted to know where Mr. and Mrs. Mallard and their family of ducklings were in the park, Nancy came up with an idea for a new project. After creating a prototype of the famous duck family, Nancy worried. The Mallards were Robert McCloskey’s characters, would he approve? Nancy didn’t know Bob, but that didn’t stop her. She invited Bob to visit her studio to view the statue and discuss the possibility of an installation in the Public Gardens. At first Bob was reluctant. He thought the ducks were too small. Undeterred, Nancy re-sculpted the statue on a larger scale. When Bob returned to look at Nancy’s second attempt, he suggested the statue was now too big. Nancy explained to Bob that outdoor sculptures often look too big when displayed inside. To prove her point, Nancy hauled her creation to the sidewalk in front of her house. Bob remained skeptical until a group of children walking down the street started quacking and petting the statue of the Mallard family. The bronze sculpture depicting Mrs. Mallard, Jack, Kack, Lack, Mack, Nack, Ouack, Pack, and Quack was installed in Boston’s Public Gardens in 1987. Bob and Nancy remained close friends until his death in 2003.

THOUGHTS: This enchanting story cleverly weaves the biographical narratives of Robert McCloskey and Nancy Schön through their parallel stories of artistic perseverance. Not unlike the infamous Mallard family, Bob and Nancy each want to find a place to belong and to thrive while raising their families. The full-color illustrations by Claire Keane cleverly pay homage to McCloskey’s sepia sketch style as used in Make Way for Ducklings. A delightful read aloud that will enchant fans of the original picture book.

Biography
813.54 Literature, English (North American)
American Fiction, 20th Century, 1945-1999

Elem./MG – Doodleville: Art Attacks!

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Sell, Chad. Doodleville: Art Attacks! Alfred Knopf, 2022. 978-1-984-89474-8. 250 p. $12.99  Grades 3-6.

Drew’s art club and the Doodles are back in Doodleville: Art Attacks!, which left off where Doodleville ended, with Levi, a doodle (who like the other doodles, can come to life), “borrowing” a baby from a portrait in the Art Institute of Chicago. The baby’s mother is not pleased, and chaos ensues in Art Attacks, as everything seems to go awry in an attempt to reunite the baby with its mother. It begins with bringing the baby back to the institute, where, through a series of events, spurred by Levi’s fear of the mother, the cat statue in Dorian Gray’s portrait is broken, enraging Dorian. Levi, afraid of the mother, once again steals (and hides!) the baby and the Mom, blaming Dorian, amasses and army of art to find her baby. Dorian, on his end, gets his own crew together. Drew’s art club, disagreeing on how best to proceed, first adds to the problem, fractures in argument, then comes together to get the art institute back on track.

THOUGHTS: Doodleville: Art Attacks! clearly is a continuation of the first book, and the two should be read in order, or it won’t make sense. Doodleville’s greatest strengths lie in the value it puts on the arts and imagination through its strong art/adventure storyline–unusual in the graphic novel market. The original cast is full of diverse characters (and their doodles) and it is, indeed, their diversity of thought and action that creates some of the conflict in the book. Gaining a deeper understanding and appreciation of each other leads to an increased ability to work together and problem solve toward an ending that satisfies all–and creates a space for children in the Art Institute of Chicago. Recommended for its readability, creativity, and emphasis on the importance of art, as well as its cast of characters.

Graphic Novel          Hannah J. Thomas, Central Bucks SD

YA – My Name Is Jason. Mine Too: Our Story, Our Way

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Reynolds, Jason, and Jason Griffin, illustrator. My Name Is Jason. Mine Too: Our Story, Our Way. Atheneum, 2022. 978-1-534-47823-7. Unpaged. $19.99. Grades 7-12.

College roommates turned best friends, Reynolds and Griffin moved to New York City with the hopes of pursuing their poetic and artistic dreams. Though glamorous, life in the city wasn’t easy and to make it work they had “No food. For the first six months we only ate cereal, peanut butter toast. Tuna. Fried Tuna. Tuna and rice. Rice and soup.” With little aside from their friendship to sustain them, they figure out ways “to make it” against the odds when everyone else seems to think they’re “probably stupid.” Griffin’s multimedia art including watercolors, collages, and sketches compliment Reynolds’ poems as their story unfolds. A tribute to their perseverance and friendship, this stunning work encourages readers to follow their dreams even when they seem unattainable and emphasizes the importance of having a good support system to help you get there.

THOUGHTS: The powerhouse duo behind Ain’t Burned All the Bright is back for another artistic collection of poetry. Fans of Reynolds’ work will enjoy learning the story behind how he got where he is today. Highly recommended for middle grade and young adult collections.

Poetry          Maryalice Bond, South Middleton SD
Graphic Memoir

MG/YA – A Forgery of Roses

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Olson, Jessica S. A Forgery of Roses. Inkyard Press, 2022. 978-1335418661. $19.99. 384p. Grades 7-12.

Myra Whitlock has a secret: she’s a prodigy. When she paints, she can access her magic, and heal her subjects. Not everyone is accepting of prodigies, especially the governor, but when his wife discovers her secret, she hires Myra to paint her recently deceased son, Will, in the hopes of bringing him back to life. Myra has never resurrected a person before, but the reward is too great to pass up. Money has been tight since her parents’ disappearance, and her sick, younger sister needs to see a doctor, a luxury they no longer can afford. When she arrives at the governor’s house, she befriends the governor’s oldest son, August, and together, they discover that Will’s death was not an accident, and if Myra has any chance of bringing him back, she must first discover the mysterious circumstances of his death and avoid becoming the next victim herself.

THOUGHTS:  A Forgery of Roses is a magical, murder mystery that will keep readers guessing until the very end. Although two of the main characters develop feelings for each other, it goes no further than a few embraces and kisses, making this title a good fit for middle school libraries as well as high school ones. Myra is hired to use her magic to bring a person back to life, and the book does contain descriptions of blood and gore among murder victims and within art work. One of the main characters suffers from anxiety and panic attacks, and that’s not always a trait readers get to see in main characters.

Fantasy          Emily Hoffman, Conestoga Valley SD

Elem. – A Boy Named Isamu: A Story of Isamu Noguchi

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Yang, James. A Boy Named Isamu: A Story of Isamu Noguchi. Viking, 2021. 978-0-593-20344-6. Unpaged. $17.99. Grades K-3.

Author/illustrator Yang introduces readers to a quiet, introverted boy named Isamu. Born to an American mother and Japanese father, Isamu was an outsider in both cultures, alone, but never alone. Instead, Isamu found comfort in nature, fascinated by the color, shape, texture, and pattern he found all around him. Stones were particularly special. A day spent in the company of the trees, the sand, the rocks, and the sea was a day well spent. This observant, thoughtful boy grows up to be a renowned sculptor, combining geometric shapes and natural elements like granite into stunning artwork. This stunning, Caldecott honor book gives readers a moment in the life of Isamu Noguchi, perhaps the day he became captivated by the elemental world around him. An author’s note gives further details into Noguchi’s life as a sculptor. The digital artwork enhances the gentle feel of the narrative, emphasizing Noguchi’s delight in being alone with nature.

THOUGHTS: The beautiful text and illustrations will send readers to learn more about this fascinating artist.

Picture Book           Nancy Nadig, Penn Manor SD
Biography

MG – The Genius Under the Table

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Yelchin, Eugene. The Genius Under the Table: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain. Candlewick Press, 2021. 978-1-536-21552-6. $16.99. 201 p. Grades 5-8.

Eugene (Yvevgeny) Yelchin lives in the USSR during the height of Cold War communism, and all he wants to do is find his own “artistic talent,” usually of an athletic nature, so that he can live a better life.  In the USSR, most people are poor, but people with artistic talent are more valuable to the country, and they often enjoy more comfortable living conditions and greater opportunities to work and travel. Yelchin’s parents try everything to discover his athletic talent, but they eventually discover that he is a gifted artist. While Yelchin pursues his dream of becoming a talented member of Communist society, he begins to understand a more complicated truth; in the USSR it is not easy to play by the rules of Communism and also live an authentic life.

THOUGHTS: This brief memoir is easy to read, and the illustrations that accompany the text are a delightful addition to the story.  Harder truths about life in Soviet Russia, and the tragic impacts of dictators like Stalin and Lenin, are gently introduced in a way that will encourage students to seek out further information. The book ends on a hopeful note that mirrors the path of the author’s own life. Recommended addition for any middle school biography section!

Memoir          Erin Faulkner, Cumberland Valley SD

YA – A Pho Love Story

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Le, Loan. A Pho Love Story. Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2021. 978-1-534-44193-4. 416 p. $19.99. Grades 9-12.

Competing Vietnamese-American family-owned pho restaurants set the stage for this romantic comedy. Despite the two of them going to school together and being from similar family backgrounds (and occupations), Bao Nguyen and Linh Mai do not get along. It’s really their families who do not get along, but Bao and Linh normally steer clear of each other. Bao isn’t meeting his family’s expectations. Across the street Linh Mai works in her family’s pho restaurant but dreams of pursing an art career. When Bao helps Linh out of a tough spot, she can’t help but wonder why their families feel the way they do. Curiosity piqued, Bao and Linh begin to interact but away from their families. Can Bao and Linh meet their families’ strict expectations and find a way to be together?

THOUGHTS: Teens looking for a sweet rom-com with a little depth will adore these characters. A Pho Love Story pairs perfectly with other food romances like A Taste for Love by Jennifer Yen and The Way You Make Me Feel by Maurene Goo.

Romance          Maryalice Bond, South Middleton SD

Elem. – That’s a Job? I Like Art… What Jobs Are There?

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Hodge, Susie. That’s a Job? I Like Art…What Jobs Are There? Kane Miller, 2021. 47 p. 978-1-684-64168-0. $15.99. Grades 3-6. 

That’s a Job? I Like Art…What Jobs Are There? is a nonfiction book that uses the lens of art to showcase over twenty different jobs that are all related to art. There is a wide range of jobs, from ones that require working with people to jobs that are more solitary. Some of the jobs show a life in the day of the person, and some just give a smaller snapshot of what they do in a day. Each job discusses the best and worst parts of each job. At the end of the book, there is a way for the reader to try to pick out their best job, based on what they like to do/are good at.

THOUGHTS: This is an amazing book to introduce different careers to readers, and I loved how in-depth they went for the behind the scenes of each career. The illustrations show each career as well as the extra hobbies each individual has. Must have for an elementary or upper elementary school.

700 Art Careers          Mary Hyson, Lehigh Valley Regional Charter Academy

Elem. – Ellie Makes a Friend

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Mike, Wu. Ellie Makes a Friend. Disney Hyperion, 2020. 978-1-368-01000-9. $16.99. Grades K-2.

There is a commotion at the zoo! A new animal has joined, and it is a painter just like Ellie! Only instead of an elephant, the new animal is a Panda who came all the way from China. Ellie wonders if there is room for two painters at the zoo. Ellie decides to learn all about her new possible friend. Soon, the two are sharing stories, ideas, and painting together. They find harmony in the ways they are different, and delight in learning more about each other. Sharing can be the best way to learn about someone else and a great way to make a new friend.

THOUGHTS: A delightful book on friendship and sharing. This book is a nice beginner book for readers to look at the country of China, as it contains some brief discussion topics and ideas.

Picture Book          Rachel Burkhouse, Otto-Eldred SD