Draped in striking hues and compelling from cover to cover—a gem of a biography!
Freedom can come in all forms, backgrounds, textures, and hues.
Endpapers depicting brilliant pink fabric foreshadow the motif of fabric and color to come. Poetic prose depicts Christo’s early life, filled with colorful books as well as political and social strife after the Nazis arrived in his Bulgarian town. Orange and red flames leap across the spread from the fireplace in which Christo’s parents burned those colorful, now-dangerous books to keep their family safe. This brutal event influenced Christo, who sought to depict truth and life in his art. Fleeing to France, he discovered an affinity for sculpture—in particular, for wrapping objects in canvas. When he met Jeanne-Claude, they moved to America to pursue their dreams. Though it took 25 years, at last their installation The Gates appeared in Central Park in New York as miles of orange fabric billowed in the wind like the flames in the fireplace, a tangerine curtain defying fascism. Filled with watercolor and gouache whorls outlined in black, each spread pops and crackles with dazzling colors. Close-up vignettes accompany full-page illustrations, enticing readers to slow down and look again and again. The concise yet vivid text is supplemented by extensive backmatter that includes photographs, author’s and artist’s notes, and more. This one is perfect for storytimes and interdisciplinary curriculum units alike. Chisto and Jeanne-Claude present White; background characters are racially diverse. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Draped in striking hues and compelling from cover to cover—a gem of a biography! (notes, selected sources) (Picture-book biography. 4-8)Pub Date: Aug. 16, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-4197-5611-5
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Abrams
Review Posted Online: June 21, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2022
A supplemental rather than introductory book on the great artist.
Frida Kahlo’s strong affection for and identification with animals form the lens through which readers view her life and work in this picture-book biography.
Each two-page spread introduces one or more of her pets, comparing her characteristics to theirs and adding biographical details. Confusingly for young readers, the beginning pages reference pets she owned as an adult, yet the illustrations and events referred to come from earlier in her life. Bonito the parrot perches in a tree overlooking young Frida and her family in her childhood home and pops up again later, just before the first mention of Diego Rivera. Granizo, the fawn, another pet from her adult years, is pictured beside a young Frida and her father along with a description of “her life as a little girl.” The author’s note adds important details about Kahlo’s life and her significance as an artist, as well as recommending specific paintings that feature her beloved animals. Expressive acrylic paintings expertly evoke Kahlo’s style and color palette. While young animal lovers will identify with her attachment to her pets and may enjoy learning about the Aztec origins of her Xolo dogs and the meaning of turkeys in ancient Mexico, the book may be of most interest to those who already have an interest in Kahlo’s life.
A supplemental rather than introductory book on the great artist. (Picture book/biography. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-7358-4269-4
Page Count: 40
Publisher: NorthSouth
Review Posted Online: June 18, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Blandly inspirational fare made to evoke equally shrink-wrapped responses.
An NBA star pays tribute to the influence of his grandfather.
In the same vein as his Long Shot (2009), illustrated by Frank Morrison, this latest from Paul prioritizes values and character: “My granddad Papa Chilly had dreams that came true,” he writes, “so maybe if I listen and watch him, / mine will too.” So it is that the wide-eyed Black child in the simply drawn illustrations rises early to get to the playground hoops before anyone else, watches his elder working hard and respecting others, hears him cheering along with the rest of the family from the stands during games, and recalls in a prose afterword that his grandfather wasn’t one to lecture but taught by example. Paul mentions in both the text and the backmatter that Papa Chilly was the first African American to own a service station in North Carolina (his presumed dream) but not that he was killed in a robbery, which has the effect of keeping the overall tone positive and the instructional content one-dimensional. Figures in the pictures are mostly dark-skinned. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Blandly inspirational fare made to evoke equally shrink-wrapped responses. (Picture book. 6-8)Pub Date: Jan. 10, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-250-81003-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Review Posted Online: Sept. 27, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
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