Synopses & Reviews
Benny Andrews loved to draw. He drew his nine brothers and sisters, and his parents. He drew the red earth of the fields where they all worked, the hot sun that beat down, and the rows and rows of crops. As Benny hauled buckets of water, he made pictures in his head. And he dreamed of a better lifeand#8212;something beyond the segregation, the backbreaking labor, and the limited opportunities of his world.and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160; Bennyand#8217;s dreamsand#160;took him far from the rural Georgia of his childhood. He became one of the most important African Americanand#160;painters of theand#160;twentieth century, and he opened doors for other artists of color.and#160;Hisand#160;story will inspire budding young artists to work hard and follow their dreams.
and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;
Review
"There's no better illustrator for this narrative than Andrews himself."
and#8212;Booklist
Review
andquot;Thereand#39;s no better illustrator for this narrative than Andrews himself.andquot;
andmdash;Booklist
andquot;[Andrewsand#39;] images blend whimsical elementsandmdash;tree leaves resemble globular mosaic glasswork in one sceneandmdash;with stark depictions of struggle, emphasizing his efforts to find intersections between creativity and social justice.andquot;
andmdash;Publishers Weeklyand#160;
* andquot;This singular biography refocuses attention on the struggle for social justice through the extraordinary visions of this singular painterandmdash;every illustration is the artistand#39;s own.andquot;
andmdash;Kirkus, starred reviewand#160;
Synopsis
Henri Rousseau wanted to be an artist. But he had no formal training. Instead, he taught himself to paint. He painted until the jungles and animals and distant lands in his head came alive on the space of his canvases. Henri Rousseau endured the harsh critics of his day and created the brilliant paintings that now hang in museums around the world. Michelle Markel's vivid text, complemented by the vibrant illustrations of Amanda Hall, artfully introduces young readers to the beloved painter and encourages all readers to persevere despite all odds.
Synopsis
A love of art andand#160;dreams of a life beyond that of hisand#160;sharecropper parents allowed Benny Andrews to escape the poverty and social injustices of the rural south and become a groundbreaking visual artist, author, activist, and teacher who is widely considered to be one of the most important African-American painters of the twentieth century. This moving picture book, gorgeously illustrated with Andrews' own work, tells his story.
About the Author
Kathleen Benson is the author of several picture books, many of which she co-authored with her late husband, Jim Haskins, including John Lewis in the Lead, which won the NCSS Carter G. Woodson Award for the most distinguished social science book for young readers that depicts ethnicity in the United States. Kathy is currentlyandnbsp;a Project Director at the Museum of the City of New York. She lives in Manhattan.Benny Andrews was a groundbreakingandnbsp;artist, author, teacher, and activist who is widely considered to be one of the finest African American painters of the twentieth century. His work is included in museum collections around the world. He illustrated many children's books, including Poetry for Young People: Langston Hughes by David Roessel and Arnold Rampersad, for which he was posthumously awarded the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Award; John Lewis in the Lead by Jim Haskins and Kathleen Benson, which won the NCSS Carter G. Woodson Award; and The Hickory Chair by Lisa Rowe Faustino, an ALA Notable book.