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MODERN ART

Name: MODERN ART
Author: Pauline Ridley
ISBN: 1-56847-356-7

by Pauline Ridley ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 1, 1995

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From the Art and Artists series. In this historical survey of the major developments of the last hundred years in contemporary art, Ridley concentrates on identifying significant trends: Fauvism, Expressionism, Cubism, Dada, De Stijl, Surrealism, Abstract Expressionism, Pop Art, etc. It's a lot to undertake in such a slim volume, but Ridley admirably explains the dominant social influences of each period, what artists were painting and sculpting, and why the work was new. Another title in the series, Judy Martin's Impressionism (ISBN 1-56847-355-9), begins with the origins in the Barbizon School painters and ends with Post Impressionism. Martin concentrates on French artists, from Courbet through Manet, Monet, Seurat, and Gaugin, giving brief mention of American Mary Cassatt, and a quick chapter to ``Impressionism Abroad'' (meaning in places other than France). There are several other books on this subject but the coherent, clearly written overviews in both books make them helpful additions to the field. Their strengths are putting artists and art movements in a larger context rather than investigating individuals; they are especially advantageous when used in conjunction with other texts. (full-color reproductions, glossary, bibliography, further reading, index) (Nonfiction. 11-15)

Pub Date: June 1, 1995

ISBN: 1-56847-356-7

Page Count: 48

Publisher: N/A

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 1995

Categories:

TEENS & YOUNG ADULT NONFICTION

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WHAT THE WORLD EATS

by Faith D’Aluisio & photographed by Peter Menzel ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 1, 2008

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Can too much information give readers intellectual indigestion? When is it better to graze through a book rather than consuming it in one sitting? Is it possible to make good-for-you information as delicious as (guilty) pleasure reading? The adapted version of Hungry Planet: What the World Eats (2005) raises all of these questions. Intended to inform middle-schoolers of the wide variety of food traditions as well as discrepancies in access to adequate nutrition, this collection of photos, essays and statistics will require thoughtful concentration. Adapted and abridged text, a larger font size, the addition of small maps and basic facts about each country and the deletion of some photos that might have been judged inappropriate or disturbing help to make the wealth of information accessible to this audience. The plentiful photos are fascinating, offering both intimate glimpses of family life and panoramic views of other lands. Whether used for research or received as a gift from socially conscious adults, this version offers children plenty to chew over—but it’ll take them some time to truly digest. (Nonfiction. 11-14)

Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2008

ISBN: 978-1-58246-246-2

Page Count: 160

Publisher: Tricycle

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2008

Categories:

TEENS & YOUNG ADULT NONFICTION

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GIRLS

A HISTORY OF GROWING UP FEMALE IN AMERICA

by Penny Colman ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 2000

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A brief discussion of the development and persistence of gender roles acts as an introduction to this excellent overview of what it has meant to be a girl in this country, from pre-colonial times to the present. Colman (Rosie the Riveter, 1995, etc.) never resorts to a generic ideal or tells the story as if she is speaking of an “everygirl”; instead, she allows a narrative to emerge from the histories and words of real people, from every social, ethnic, and economic level in the US. Some of the subjects and speakers are well-known, others are not (although they probably ought to be), but all are interesting and inspiring. Alice Greenough, daughter of “Packsaddle Ben” Greenough, grew up in the turn-of-the- century Montana wilderness where she did all the things her brothers did; Mary Elizabeth Bowser, a young black woman, worked with Elizabeth Van Lew, a middle-aged white woman, as spies for the Union army; Lilac Chen, a former prostitute in 19th- century San Francisco, tells how her own father sold her into slavery in China when she was only 6; and Yvonne “Eve” Blue, an obviously anorexic 14-year-old, maintained her gaunt frame by limiting herself to 140 calories a day—in 1926. These and dozens of other fascinating people offer more insight into gender roles better than any history text or sociological treatise, in lively writing that is greatly enhanced by page after page of black-and-white photographs, an extensive list of further reading, and a good index. A must-have for most collections. (Nonfiction. 8-12)