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BUILDING ON NATURE

Name: BUILDING ON NATURE
Author: Rachel Rodríguez
ISBN: 978-0-8050-8745-1

THE LIFE OF ANTONI GAUDÍ

by Rachel Rodríguez and illustrated by Julie Paschkis ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 2009

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Swarms of visitors each year descend upon Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí’s weird, wonderful church, La Sagrada Familia, under construction in Barcelona since 1883. Here, Rodríguez highlights the daring architect’s early love of nature and how that passion for organic forms was reflected throughout his career. The staccato, determinedly active-voice sentences range from clunky to lyrical, flowing best when describing architectural features: “At Casa Batlló, / a fireplace hides under a mushroom cap. / Hallways look like underwater caverns. / The house sparkles like the sea.” Paschkis captures the crazy curves and elaborate detail of Gaudí’s buildings—if not their context, scale and power—with her flat, folk-art–style gouache paintings and harvest palette, while graceful Art Nouveau borders harmoniously link art and text. Gaudí’s engineering feats, such as the underground chapel Colonia Crypt, are confusingly presented, and referencing Gaudí’s creations sometimes in Spanish, sometimes in English (La Sagrada Familia is named only as “Holy Family Church,” for example) is a puzzling choice. Still, there’s plenty here to have young aesthetes hankering for a plane ticket to Spain. (author’s note, websites, selected bibliography) (Picture book/biography. 5-9)

Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2009

ISBN: 978-0-8050-8745-1

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Henry Holt

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2009

Categories:

CHILDREN'S BIOGRAPHY & MEMOIR

- BOOK REVIEW
THROUGH GEORGIA’S EYES
by Rachel Rodríguez & illustrated by Julie Paschkis

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ELEANOR

by Barbara Cooney & illustrated by Barbara Cooney ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 1, 1996

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"From the beginning the baby was a disappointment to her mother," Cooney (The Story of Christmas, 1995, etc.) begins in this biography of Eleanor Roosevelt. She is a plain child, timid and serious; it is clear that only a few people loved her. After her parents die, she is cared for in the luxurious homes of wealthy relatives, but does not find acceptance until she arrives in a British boarding school, where she thrives on the attention of the headmistress, who guides, teaches, and inspires her. Cooney does not gloss over the girl's misery and disappointments; she also shows the rare happy times and sows the seeds of Eleanor's future work. The illustrations of house interiors often depict Eleanor as an isolated, lonely figure, her indistinct face and hollow eyes watching from a distance the human interactions she does not yet enjoy. Paintings reveal the action of a steamship collision; the hectic activity of a park full of children and their governesses; a night full of stars portending the girl's luminous future. The image of plain Eleanor being fitted with her first beautiful dress is an indelible one. Readers will be moved by the unfairness of her early life and rejoice when she finds her place in the world. An author's note supplies other relevant information. (Picture book/biography. 5-9)

Pub Date: Oct. 1, 1996

ISBN: 0-670-86159-6

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Viking

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1996

Categories:

CHILDREN'S BIOGRAPHY & MEMOIR | CHILDREN'S HISTORY

- BOOK REVIEW
THE STORY OF CHRISTMAS
by Barbara Cooney & illustrated by Loretta Krupinski

- BOOK REVIEW
THE REMARKABLE CHRISTMAS OF THE COBBLER'S SONS
adapted by Ruth Sawyer & illustrated by Barbara Cooney

- BOOK REVIEW
ONLY OPAL
by Opal Whiteley & edited by Jane Boulton & illustrated by Barbara Cooney

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REACHING FOR THE MOON

by Buzz Aldrin & illustrated by Wendell Minor ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 1, 2005

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In first-person voice, Aldrin highlights points from his childhood that led to his dream of being an astronaut and making the historic moon landing. Coincidental details like his mother’s maiden name, “Moon,” and his favorite movie hero, the “Lone Ranger,” suggest clues to his destiny. After West Point, he joined the Air Force because “he wanted to fly more than anything.” Minor’s usual beautiful and realistic illustrations effectively convey spatial perspectives and movement, adding depth to the narrative. However, the cover design and type layout are confusing, indicative of a biography instead of an autobiography—a brief intro could have clarified it. Aldrin’s message in an author’s note avows, “If you set your sights high, you may accomplish more than you ever dreamed.” Pair this with Don Brown’s One Giant Step for a child’s-eye view on space exploration. (Flight/space exploration chronology) (Picture book/biography. 6-9)