Oct 8, 2024

Meet FLORINE STETTHEIMER... Artist Ahead of Her Time

Holiday House/NEAL PORTER BOOKS
2024

One artist ahead of her time was Florine Stettheimer, but then many artists are ahead of their times. I found, though, that this particular artist, previously unknown to me (despite my effort to be reasonably informed about artists of the twentieth century), was fascinating. A PARTY FOR FLORINE: FLORINE STETTHEIMER AND ME is the creation of another artist, author/illustrator Yevgenia Nayberg
The illustration style and the first person narrator are both an homage to Stettheimer and a reflection  of Nayberg's own artistic style. 
A short note in back reveals that even though an  accomplished and acclaimed artist such as she is, Nayberg found that Florine was a new experience and one she welcomed. 
In the text, a young girl sees a face, an image very much like herself, in a self-portrait by Stettheimer. The girl and the subject in the self-portrait were both artists, and the young observer commits to learning more. That storyline reveals Stettheimer's life story as shared within the remaining narration. 
Florine's life was one of means, one of intellectual pursuits, one surrounded by other remarkable women and intellectual discussions. When women were bound into corsets and equally so by social expectations and even demands, Florine had the luxury of expressing herself freely. She did so in her clothing choices and activities. Her art is expressionist in that there is realism in many elements and colors, but proportion, angle, position, and subject matter all reflect an almost dreamlike quality to her work. 

When I explored Nayberg's body of work, I detected many parallels in style, color, and perspective between their styles. That, too, must have been a bit of a startling recognition to the picture book creator. I particularly enjoyed learning in the author note that this unexpected introduction came to the artist as an adult, but the the story is well-crafted around the emotional journey of a young girl observer, who compares Florine's liberated, self-affirming life to her own young misery on gray rainy days and with nothing "exciting" happening to her. The line was never written but several of the girl's expressions called to mind a refrain any parent will recognize... "I'm bored!"

In fact, though, this narrator comes to realize her own agency, her ability to see the world around her through whatever lens invites creativity and joy and delight. Stettheimer proactively rejected the directives in her expensive art instructions from prestigious institutions and opted to interpret a recto-linear world with curves and tilts and graceful exaggeration. This is evident in examples you can view online. This recognition by the girl of her  own power removes the oppressive rainy filters and ignites joy. 
As much as this might feel like an adult-centric biography, the young narrator's emotional journey makes it well-suited to young readers, too. In fact, very young "artists" often ignore efforts to reproduce what they "see" on a page in favor of colorful, movement-infused, joyful art. Perhaps Florine's seemingly sophisticated talent was really her openness to expressing the world without rules, as children so often do. 

I urge you to take a look at this lovely new offering to meet Florine for yourselves. Please note that front and back endpapers reproduce the four pieces from her CATHEDRAL OF NEW YORK series, one she was working on until a few weeks before her death. The contagious joy they reveal invite you to join her at the party that was her life.

Oct 4, 2024

THE OUTSIDE: Laugh and Learn About Prairie Dogs

 Classifying/categorizing books, especially picture books, is becoming harder and harder. When it comes to "labeling" books that provide reliable nonfiction information, but present that material through cartoonish or personalized characters, it's debatable. I find myself turning to library shelving choices or publisher descriptors. Is a particular title creative nonfiction? Or informational fiction? When both story text and sidebar facts are provided throughout, I (and readers) more clearly see this as nonfiction. (See recent post, HERE.) When the story incorporates factual content within anthropomorphized critters, but provides back matter about each of those factual elements, it gets a bit more challenging.

VIKING, 2024


And that's precisely how author-illustrator Gianna Marino left me perplexed but delighted with THE OUTSIDE.  Call it what you want, but take my advice and read it. As you likely know, prairie dogs live in extensive communities, often called prairie dog towns. Whether the extended group is small (as this one is) or massive, their interactions can make a lively and appealing model for many human relationships. 

In this case, the story unfolds with speech bubble narratives, delightful perspectives, and one prairie dog, Earl, who is afraid of going outside. He prefers dig-dig-digging underground where he feels safe. His above-ground buddies are on the look out for predators, but Earl fears rain. Earl's fears (of several kinds) play a role in his rescue of the group. Even so, despite their safe survival, Earl relies on his peer support to find security within himself and among his community. OUTSIDE!

This is an excellent offering for young readers to encourage social/emotional learning and discussion, to empathize with characters, to identify/predict storyline, and to flat-out enjoy a funny story.

The double spread back matter includes labeled illustrations of the ways prairie dogs dig complex intentional underground spaces to survive and thrive. I found Earl & Company to be unforgettable, and I hope you will, too.

Oct 1, 2024

More BIRD Talk: Meet Ruru, NIGHT HUNTER!

Speaking of birds, as I did in this recent post (HERE), a recent release deserves a close look, and is especially appealing with FALL outside our nighttime windows.

SCHOLASTIC, 2024


RURU: NIGHT HUNTER
,
by Kate Furze and Ned Barraud  reveals a specific variety of owl in New Zealand. Owl eyes are classically hypnotic, but this cover suggests how compelling the interior images and information are. I found myself enthralled with this owl, and traveled through time and spaces which might otherwise make me hesitate to go.

A young human in a bedtime window is featured in an opening spread, and then again as morning dawn nears. They are as fascinated by hidden nightlife as readers will be.

The main narrative and densely powerful illustrations convey a "night in the life" of an imagined individual RURU. Secondary/parallel text on most pages provide basic but interesting facts about this species as relate to each page's lyrical (and busy) male owl. He spends a moonlit night working to feed its mate and owlets, traveling through dark-toned but nevertheless luminous scenes that also inform readers about both similarities and differences from their own locations. 

Both text and images are dramatic and exciting, while providing essential information about food chains and other STEM material while allowing compare/contrast opportunities for varieties of similar animals in local and distant settings. 

The parallel text makes this appealing and useful across many ages, with back matter that can be used for further investigations.

For more suggestions of other bird picture books, check prior posts HERE, HERE, HERE, and many  more.

Sep 24, 2024

CRICK, CRACK, CROW! Meet a Brilliant Bird!

 So, enough with the bird books already.... Like THIS and THIS and THIS.

PEACHTREE BOOKS, 2024



Is that what you're thinking? Please stay with me while i celebrate one fabulous picture book featuring the antics (and brilliance) of a crow. CRICK, CRACK, CROW! is written by Janet Lord and illustrated by Julie Paschkis. 

From the endpapers to the cover art throughout each interior spread, crows reach readers as both familiar and extraordinary. In addition to the silhouettes of crows posing mid-act in one of their countless antics, this bright-eyed  young crow explores anything and everything it encounters. The humor is portrayed through delightful images and lively, patterned, rhyming leadlines for each episode and incident. 

Crows can be annoying to many folks, including other birds and even squirrels and pets (and you'll see why), but this fella is undoubtedly as appealing as he is entertaining. Amid the multiple scenes in which crow's clever pursuits reveal the talents and intentions of birds that have been scientifically proven to be among the most intelligent of creatures other than humans and other primates. Even that exclusion might be challenged in certain circumstances. That challenge can be addressed in any of the back-matter references provided, all of which are kid-friendly and authenticated for accuracy. 

Do yourself a favor and check out this homage to the wit and willful wiliness of this particular crow, crows as a species, and some truly impressive writing and illustrations. Enjoy!


Picture books are as versatile and diverse as the readers who enjoy them. Join me to explore the wacky, wonderful, challenging and changing world of picture books.