Brainstorm 104: Artist biographies for kids and teens

This week, in honor of Theodore Seuss Geisel’s birthday, here are biographies of other artists for kids and teens. I’m going to skip the Activity Tie-ins/Target Readers because a lot of these are just going to say the same thing. They are all great reads for art lovers, splendid read-alouds/suggested reads for art classes, and perfect gifts for those budding artists you know. Instead I'll put in highlights of what I liked best about each book.

Picture Book Biographies

Through Georgia’s Eyes by Rachel Rodriguez, ill. by Julie Paschkis
A picture book biography of artist Georgia O'Keeffe, most famous for her large paintings of flowers and Southwestern landscapes, that invites readers to see the world through her eyes.

Highlights:

• The text is simplistic and touches on the mere basics of the artist's life but it does a great job in helping readers get a picture of the beauty of art and how an artist thinks. 
• There's a page of further info on O'Keeffe's life in the back. 
• In pointing readers to enjoy the world around them as Georgia O'Keeffe did, the book is its own piece of art. The writing is lyrical and poetic, creating vivid word pictures, and the illustrations are gorgeous and sure to draw in readers. 

Edward Hopper Paints His World by Robert Burleigh, ill. by Wendell Minor
A picture book biography of Edward Hopper, famous for his paintings of everyday locations in America.

Highlights:

• This book gives a decent overview of the artist’s life, how he was shy and started out in advertising. And how his art style took a while to catch on. 
• Wendell Minor did an incredible job illustrating this book in a style reminiscent of Hopper's works, but not overly so. And those illustrations are amazing works of art. 
• The back of the book is rich in further resources from more details on Hopper's life, pictures of his most iconic paintings, a note from the illustrator on trying to mimic Hopper's style, and recommended further reading on the man and his art. 
• A great read to encourage those shy kids that they can leave a mark on this world without needing to change who they are.

Radiant Child: the Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat by Javaka Steptoe
This one has been in the news a fair bit recently with its Caldecott win. In case you missed that news, this is a picture book biography of modern artist Jean-Michel Basquiat. The book focuses on Basquiat's childhood, how his love of art developed and grew through his childhood, and major highs and lows in his family and art life, culminating with his eventual success as a young adult.

Highlights:

• It was fascinating to find out Basquiat came from a diverse family, a Haitian mother and Puerto Rican father growing up in America. 
• You don’t have to be a Basquiat fan to appreciate this book. I actually like Steptoe's nods to Basquiat better because Steptoe tones down the ferocity/intensity and makes it easier to look at, more kid-friendly while still getting across main themes and the style of Basquiat. 
• There are several notes in the back with further info on Basquiat and why the author/illustrator chose to do this book and do it the way he did that I recommend reading.

Viva Frida by Yuyi Morales, ill. by Tim O’Meara
In just a few words (with shadows in Spanish), Yuyi Morales introduces readers to Frida's view of the world.

Highlights:

• I really liked how the bilingual element of this book was done. Very creative. The words are simple enough that even readers who don't know Spanish can read this and learn some. 
• The author's note in the back gives a more detailed overview of Frida's life, but one still approachable and short enough for little ones. 
• Even though I sometimes found the dolls a little creepy, the illustration style gets points for creativity. It was done by taking photographs of dolls and models made by the author. And it was unique enough to get a Caldecott Honor a few years ago.

Action Jackson by Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan, ill. by Robert Andrew Parker
A picture book biography of modern painter, Jackson Pollock, that focuses on his painting methods, most specifically how he painted Lavender Mist.

Highlights:

• It highlights an unusual way one famous artist worked. 
• I really appreciated that the authors started with a note clarifying which parts came from their imagination and which parts of this were fact. Great modeling of nonfiction writing for kids. 
• The further info in the back is quite interesting and fills in the basics of Pollock's life left out in the story.

The Boy Who Drew Birds: a Story of John James Audubon by Jacqueline Davies, ill. by Melissa Sweet
An introduction to artist/ornithologist, John James Audubon, that highlights how Audubon solved one of the mysteries of his time...what happened to small birds during the winter months.

Highlights:

• I always enjoy Sweet's illustrations. And there are further notes in the back on Sweet's illustration process.
• The part of Audubon's life Davies chose to focus on gives kids a picture of how to go about solving scientific mysteries. It takes patience, creativity, and lots of close observations. 
• There are further notes in the back with a little more info on Audubon.

What’s Your Favorite Animal? by Eric Carle and Friends
14 favorite children's author/illustrators share about their favorite animal in text or poem and an illustration spread.

Highlights:

• So many beloved modern children’s illustrators, and each one does it in their own unique way.
• A variety of animals are featured.
• Nick Bruel's page...because Bad Kitty interrupts.
• Erin Stead's page...because she likes penguins too. 
• The short bios in the back of the book for each illustrator and a childhood picture of them with an animal.

The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain by Peter Sís
Peter Sís has created a unique autobiography of his life growing up in Czechoslovakia during the Cold War.

Highlights:

• As Sís says in the afterward, "I find it difficult to explain my childhood; it's hard to put it into words, and since I have always drawn everything, I have tried to draw my life -- before America..." The blend of drawings and words to tell his story makes it all the more powerful and poignant. 
• It's an interesting glimpse into life under Communism for kids, or for that matter, people of any age. 
• These Caldecott Honor-winning illustrations are highly symbolic and could be used in art or history class to be analyzed for their subtle messages. (As he explains, artists under Communism had to be masters of subtle messages.)

In Mary's Garden by Tina & Carson Kügler
A picture book biography of artist Mary Nohl, famous for her unusual creations that came to cover her yard and house.

Highlights:

• Mary's creations are unusual, but just looking them you know they come from a mind full of incredible imagination. The statues in the yard look like they're ready for some kind of fantasy quest. 
• Like many artists, Mary wasn't concerned about doing art for money, she did it because she liked to do it. And she persevered even when others misunderstood her. 
• Kids will likely be inspired by the way she incorporated found objects in her art. 
• Kids will also likely love Mary's dogs who help in the finding process (and are based on real dogs Mary had). 
• If you want to keep up on Mary's house and art and their protection, the authors of this book post regular updates on their website. They also have further resources. 
• I went on Youtube and found several video tours of the house and gardens. Just search Mary Nohl's house.

Juvenile/Young Adult Biographies
(Longer than the average picture book.)

Everybody Paints!: The Lives and Art of the Wyeth Family by Susan Goldman Rubin
The author introduces readers to three generations of the Wyeth family, focusing on N.C. Wyeth, Andrew Wyeth, and Jamie Wyeth (though other artists in the family also frequently appear, like N.C.’s sister Carolyn). You also get little looks into the life of Howard Pyle (who apprenticed N.C.).

Highlights:

• I found the information on the entire Wyeth family fascinating. This book just focuses on main points of their lives, but it was sufficient to give a good introduction to each generation. I learned a lot. 
• The best part about this book is the way it has been put together, it feels like a serious work of art itself. Numerous painting reproductions, photographs of the family, the glossy paper, and full color pages make this a feast for the eyes as well as a highly readable biography. 
• The book gives great insight into how much work is required of painters. Several Wyeth family members’ daily routines are included, and all were hard working. It’s a good dose of reality for want to be painters who think it’s going to be all fun and ease.

Bill Peet: an Autobiography by Bill Peet
Bill Peet writes and illustrates his life story from boyhood frolics in the woods around suburban Indianapolis to struggles in school and his roundabout route to becoming an artist for Disney and from there eventually illustrating his own books.

Highlights:

• I enjoyed the background info on so many classic Disney films I grew up watching. Peet had quite a hand in bringing to animated life The Jungle Book, The Sword and the Stone, and 101 Dalmations. 
• There's a lot of information on animation development. For example, I had never even considered before how challenging it must have been to develop a full-length movie of the Cinderella story which can be summarized in a few pages or how to create unique mice characters for that story in a company saturated by a certain kind of mouse. 
• I found the unique challenges Peet faced in becoming a picture book author interesting too. He didn't have an easy start. Many would have given up in his shoes.
• It's a quick and engaging read. I started this book thinking I'd just read a couple pages, but I ended up devouring it in one sitting. The large print, abundant illustrations, and the engaging life story made it a quick read.

Graphic Novels

Smile by Raina Telgemeier
Graphic novelist Raina Telgemeier relates her middle school and high school years through the ongoing saga of her teeth. Originally scheduled to have braces to realign her overbite, Raina's dental issues get significantly more challenging when she falls and knocks out her two front teeth. In between the ongoing struggle to get her smile back to normal, Raina shares stories from middle school and high school, focusing on how her perception of her outward self warped her view of her inner self and how she eventually grew to overcome that.

Highlights:

• Having had my own long stint with orthodontics, I definitely found myself identifying with the pain and agony Raina experienced. But she manages to portray it with humor. 
• I loved how she showed through the years that the choice of friends can have a huge impact on your self-perception and the limits you place on yourself. I especially liked how she shows that those can be overcome. Students adore Raina's misadventures (this and it’s sequel Sisters are always being read and reread) and hopefully those students are picking up some tools to help them overcome their own personal challenges. 
• I love that even reluctant readers devour Telgemeier's books and come back hungry for more. 

Sweaterweather: & Other Stories by Sara Varon
This is a collection of short stories from graphic novelist Sara Varon. I know, this is supposed to be all biographies, but hang on. The first 8 stories in this collection were previously released in an earlier book called Sweaterweather, but this edition includes a few extra stories and notes from the author/illustrator about each one, why she wrote it, what her inspiration was, etc. And that’s why this book is in here.

Highlights:

• Hearing Sara's personal anecdotes about why she wrote each short story and what inspired her in her writing and illustrations was fascinating. This is a great one for Varon fans and those interested in becoming illustrators or graphic novelists.