A very fine introduction to the life and work of a significant American craftsman.
A self-taught painter championed the working class through his art.
Ralph Fasanella (1914-1997) was born in New York City, the son of poor Italian immigrants. His father was an ice-delivery man, and his mother, who worked in a dress factory, spoke passionately about workers’ rights and labor unions. Ralph frequently skipped school, teaching himself to read from newspapers. At age 10, owing to truancy and troublemaking, Ralph was sent to a Catholic reform school, where he remained sporadically for four years. Thereafter, he worked at various jobs and became deeply involved in the union movement. At age 31, his hands began hurting—possibly from arthritis—and a friend suggested he try drawing to alleviate the pain. Ralph taught himself to draw and paint, visiting museums to study the work of master artists. He painted laborers, street scenes, and American historic events, using vivid, jewel-like colors and filling large canvases with small, rich details, encouraging viewers to savor them and catch every nuance. Eventually, Ralph’s paintings were exhibited in major U.S. museums. This well-written, sympathetic account rightfully shines a light on a major artist who merits wider recognition. The illustrations employ striking, vibrant colors and attention to minute details, masterfully emulating Fasanella’s own style. Readers will enjoy poring over them, in addition to the several included reproductions of Fasanella’s paintings.
A very fine introduction to the life and work of a significant American craftsman. (more about Ralph, timeline, seeing American history through Fasanella’s paintings, for further reading, bibliography, source notes) (Informational picture book. 6-10)Pub Date: Oct. 24, 2023
ISBN: 9780823450060
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: Aug. 26, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Blandly inspirational fare made to evoke equally shrink-wrapped responses.
An NBA star pays tribute to the influence of his grandfather.
In the same vein as his Long Shot (2009), illustrated by Frank Morrison, this latest from Paul prioritizes values and character: “My granddad Papa Chilly had dreams that came true,” he writes, “so maybe if I listen and watch him, / mine will too.” So it is that the wide-eyed Black child in the simply drawn illustrations rises early to get to the playground hoops before anyone else, watches his elder working hard and respecting others, hears him cheering along with the rest of the family from the stands during games, and recalls in a prose afterword that his grandfather wasn’t one to lecture but taught by example. Paul mentions in both the text and the backmatter that Papa Chilly was the first African American to own a service station in North Carolina (his presumed dream) but not that he was killed in a robbery, which has the effect of keeping the overall tone positive and the instructional content one-dimensional. Figures in the pictures are mostly dark-skinned. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Blandly inspirational fare made to evoke equally shrink-wrapped responses. (Picture book. 6-8)Pub Date: Jan. 10, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-250-81003-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Review Posted Online: Sept. 27, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
An inspirational look at one girl’s quest to make sure that all skin tones are visible and available in the classroom.
A Black girl’s simple observation propels her into activism.
Woodard, who launched the More Than Peach Project—which arranges for classrooms and children in need to receive kits that include art supplies and boxes of multicultural crayons (crayons in a variety of skin tones)—relates the incident that sparked her journey. As the book begins, she is dropped off at school and notices that her family’s skin tone differs from that of her classmates. While it is clear that she is one of a few children of color at school, that difference isn’t really felt until her friends start asking for the “skin-color” crayon when they mean peach. She’s bothered that no one else seems to notice that skin comes in many colors, so she devises a unique way of bringing everyone’s attention to that fact. With support from her family and her school, she encourages her fellow classmates to rethink their language and starts an initiative to ensure that everyone’s skin tone is represented in each crayon box. Appealing, realistic artwork depicts Woodard’s experiences, while endpapers feature More Than Peach crayon boxes and childlike illustrations of kids of different ethnicities doing various activities. The story is stirring and will motivate budding activists. (This book was reviewed digitally; the review has been updated for factual accuracy.)
An inspirational look at one girl’s quest to make sure that all skin tones are visible and available in the classroom. (note from Woodard, information on Woodard’s journey into activism, instructions on starting a drive) (Picture-book biography. 6-10)Pub Date: July 26, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-338-80927-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: April 26, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2022
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