An inspiring and empowering manifesto for young creators.
Mack explores fundamental questions about human visual expression.
As a brown-skinned young protagonist, sporting cornrows and a lavender beret, ponders the nature of creativity, palette and brush in hand, artists from around the world and throughout history respond. Pointing to God’s finger on the Sistine Chapel ceiling, the child wonders if art must be perfect. Michelangelo assures the child, “You can make your art any way you want.” The youngster discusses the use of color with Piet Mondrian, contemplates whether to privilege realism over other styles with René Magritte and Vincent van Gogh, and mulls the emotional content of art with Chris Ofili and Frida Kahlo. The diversity of talent and array of topics included are truly impressive. Vibrant handmade and digital illustrations portray a stone sculptor from 200 CE Teotihuacán, a cave artist, and Esther Mahlangu, a South African artist who applies traditional Ndebele house patterns on everything from jewelry to sneakers. The questions addressed are ones that will occur to most people of any age: What about mistakes? How do you know if your art is good? Leonardo da Vinci fields that last one: “Good art will be fun and mysterious…no matter how many times you see it.” Humor and wonder shine through in Mack’s intelligent, playful scenes. The book can be enjoyed without recognizing the artists (who go unnamed in the story itself), but backmatter identifies them and offers salient snippets for each.
An inspiring and empowering manifesto for young creators. (Informational picture book. 4-9)Pub Date: Jan. 16, 2024
ISBN: 9781250864666
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: Oct. 7, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2023
A solid addition to Rotner’s seasonal series. Bring on summer.
Rotner follows up her celebrations of spring and autumn with this look at all things winter.
Beginning with the signs that winter is coming—bare trees, shorter days, colder temperatures—Rotner eases readers into the season. People light fires and sing songs on the solstice, trees and plants stop growing, and shadows grow long. Ice starts to form on bodies of water and windows. When the snow flies, the fun begins—bundle up and then build forts, make snowballs and snowmen (with eyebrows!), sled, ski (nordic is pictured), skate, snowshoe, snowboard, drink hot chocolate. Animals adapt to the cold as well. “Birds grow more feathers” (there’s nothing about fluffing and air insulation) and mammals, more hair. They have to search for food, and Rotner discusses how many make or find shelter, slow down, hibernate, or go underground or underwater to stay warm. One page talks about celebrating holidays with lights and decorations. The photos show a lit menorah, an outdoor deciduous tree covered in huge Christmas bulbs, a girl next to a Chinese dragon head, a boy with lit luminarias, and some fireworks. The final spread shows signs of the season’s shift to spring. Rotner’s photos, as always, are a big draw. The children are a marvelous mix of cultures and races, and all show their clear delight with winter.
A solid addition to Rotner’s seasonal series. Bring on summer. (Informational picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Oct. 16, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-8234-3976-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: Aug. 13, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2018
Engaging, well-chosen images and a clear, coherent text illuminate the importance of empathy for the world’s inhabitants.
Large color photographs (occasionally composed of montages) and accessible, simple text highlight global similarities and differences, always focusing on our universal connections.
While child readers may not recognize Manzano, the Puerto Rican actress who played Maria on Sesame Street, adults will recognize her as a trusted diverse voice. In her endnote, she explains her desire to “encourage lively conversations about shared experiences.” Starting out with the familiar, home and community, the text begins with “How many WONDERFUL PEOPLE do you know?” Then it moves out to the world: “Did you know there are about 8 BILLION PEOPLE on the planet?” The photo essay features the usual concrete similarities and differences found in many books of this type, such as housing (a Mongolian yurt opposite a Hong Kong apartment building overlooking a basketball court), food (dumplings, pizza, cotton candy, a churro, etc.), and school. Manzano also makes sure to point out likenesses in emotions, as shown in a montage of photos from countries including China, Spain, Kashmir (Pakistan/India), and the United States. At the end, a world map and thumbnail images show the locations of all photos, revealing a preponderance of examples from the U.S. and a slight underrepresentation for Africa and South America.
Engaging, well-chosen images and a clear, coherent text illuminate the importance of empathy for the world’s inhabitants. (Informational picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Sept. 15, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-4263-3738-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: National Geographic Kids
Review Posted Online: May 2, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2020
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