For a young Jewish boy growing up in Tsarist Russia, wanting to become an artist is not likely to meet with enthusiastic parental support. In this case, the boy is the young Marc Chagall, an aspiring artist with a gift for seeing beauty in the ordinary. He observes, “We all need art to show us what is truly beautiful and important in the world . . . We need art to show us how to live, how to be alive in the world.” Marc’s parents obviously relent and allow their son to study art, and the rest is history. For this fictionalized account, Kimmel takes only the bare bones of Chagall’s story—the Russian village, the influential art teacher, the worried parents—to get across what is truly important: to follow your dream. Simple black-and-white drawings have a childlike quality as if done by the young Chagall. (author’s note, bibliography) (Fiction. 6-10)
Pub Date: Sept. 25, 2007
ISBN: 978-0-375-83253-6
Page Count: 112
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2007
Sloat collaborates with Huffman, a Yu’pik storyteller, to infuse a traditional “origins” tale with the joy of creating. Hearing the old women of her village grumble that they have only tasteless crowberries for the fall feast’s akutaq—described as “Eskimo ice cream,” though the recipe at the end includes mixing in shredded fish and lard—young Anana carefully fashions three dolls, then sings and dances them to life. Away they bound, to cover the hills with cranberries, blueberries, and salmonberries. Sloat dresses her smiling figures in mixes of furs and brightly patterned garb, and sends them tumbling exuberantly through grassy tundra scenes as wildlife large and small gathers to look on. Despite obtrusively inserted pronunciations for Yu’pik words in the text, young readers will be captivated by the action, and by Anana’s infectious delight. (Picture book/folktale. 6-8)
Pub Date: June 1, 2004
ISBN: 0-88240-575-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2004
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
At ``Step 2'' in the useful ``Step into Reading'' series: an admirably clear, well-balanced presentation that centers on wolves' habits and pack structure. Milton also addresses their endangered status, as well as their place in fantasy, folklore, and the popular imagination. Attractive realistic watercolors on almost every page. Top-notch: concise, but remarkably extensive in its coverage. A real bargain. (Nonfiction/Easy reader. 6-10)
Pub Date: April 1, 1992
ISBN: 0-679-91052-2
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 1992
BOOK REVIEW
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