David Stabler, illustrations by Doogie Horner
Amazon rating: 4.7/5.0, grades 4-7
Good Reads: 4.23/5
Common Sense Media: not reviewed
4Rbooks: 4/6, Grades 4+
196 pages
Synopsis:
16 famous artists are profiled in this compilation, but the focus is on stories from their childhood. The stories share how they got started, who inspired them, the obstacles they had to overcome, and how their art developed. Many of the artists are familiar names to adults, but a few might need some research. Most will be unfamiliar to students unless they remember their names from art classes. While most of the artists are from the world of visual arts, Beatrix Potter, Dr. Seuss, and Yoko Ono are also included. There are fun illustrations throughout the book.
Parental Guidance: low-medium
Many of the artists were rebellious rule breakers as children.
Many of the artists suffered bullying, severe illnesses, and difficult
home lives.
There are some uncomfortable incidents in the stories (an artist losing a
fingertip in a axe chopping accident).
Recommendation:
Because of the rebellious nature of many of the artists, many parents might wish to read this first. Overall, I thought this was a good book but for a limited audience, children who are drawn to artistic expression and inspired by great art. Parents should be prepared to follow-up many of the stories with internet research to find examples of the artist’s work. The illustrations in the book are fun, but don’t showcase the recognizable art of the artist.
This is part of a series that also includes: Kid Athletes, Kid Authors, Kid Presidents, Kid Activists, Kid Scientists and Kid Innovators.
Comments