Johnson laces an exhilarating visual exploration of 20th-century art history with alliterative A-to-Z wordplay. The 26 paintings and sculptures, some gallery-sized in scope, cleverly combine specific objects, letterforms and even paint hues—all with names beginning with the illustrated letter. T’s double spread, the three-paneled painting “Triptych,” features “[t]hick-textured titanium paint” and “[t]en teal blue thumbprints” and includes tracing paper and tape—a “tiny three-dimensional toy to tease out trains of thought.” The mix of media, visual problem-solving and stylistic derivations (Stuart Davis, Motherwell, de Kooning and others are invoked) make this a terrific springboard for student art extensions. Each composition usually sports the inclusion of the spread’s featured letter, with occasional, rather fey textual allusions to “misplaced” letters: “(The omitted letter O occupies the upper left on the opposite page.)” A poignant author’s note invites readers to contemplate two disparate art pieces from Johnson’s youth, and a visual “index” reveals media, dimensions and a hidden letter key for each piece. Enigmatic and absorbing. (Informational picture book. 6-12)
Pub Date: Sept. 16, 2008
ISBN: 978-0-689-86301-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Paula Wiseman/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2008
It’s hard to argue with success, but guides that actually do the math will be more useful to budding capitalists.
How to raise money for a coveted poster: put your friends to work!
John, founder of the FUBU fashion line and a Shark Tank venture capitalist, offers a self-referential blueprint for financial success. Having only half of the $10 he needs for a Minka J poster, Daymond forks over $1 to buy a plain T-shirt, paints a picture of the pop star on it, sells it for $5, and uses all of his cash to buy nine more shirts. Then he recruits three friends to decorate them with his design and help sell them for an unspecified amount (from a conveniently free and empty street-fair booth) until they’re gone. The enterprising entrepreneur reimburses himself for the shirts and splits the remaining proceeds, which leaves him with enough for that poster as well as a “brand-new business book,” while his friends express other fiscal strategies: saving their share, spending it all on new art supplies, or donating part and buying a (math) book with the rest. (In a closing summation, the author also suggests investing in stocks, bonds, or cryptocurrency.) Though Miles cranks up the visual energy in her sparsely detailed illustrations by incorporating bright colors and lots of greenbacks, the actual advice feels a bit vague. Daymond is Black; most of the cast are people of color. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
It’s hard to argue with success, but guides that actually do the math will be more useful to budding capitalists. (Picture book. 7-9)Pub Date: March 21, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-593-56727-2
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2023
Across double-page illustrations, two Lenape Indian families engage in similar activities—an informational juxtaposing of the activities of a family from years past (approx. 400 years ago) as they fish, garden, harvest and play alongside their contemporary counterparts. As the book moves from moon to moon (season to season), one narrative functions as the description for both side-by-side illustrations—an effective visual comparison. The illustrations are stiff, but do reflect the narrative; the text seems a little choppy, more descriptive than lyrical but interesting nonetheless. Each “moon” is named in the native language and in English. A three-page author’s note about the Lenni Lenape is informative and useful. This is a gentle introduction to the fact that Native Americans are an important part of our history—and of our present. (Picture book. 6-10)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2007
ISBN: 978-1-58246-192-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Tricycle
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2007
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