LS 5623 Advanced Literature for Young Adults

2007. ARTIST TO ARTIST: 23 MAJOR ILLUSTRATORS TALK TO CHILDREN ABOUT THEIR ART. New York: Philomel Books.

Review:
Artist to Artist is a collection of letters written by popular illustrators of children's picture books to children talking about their inspirations, their technique, and the journey each took to become an artist. Each letter is accompanied by a photograph of the artist as a child (if available), a self-portrait of the artist, a photograph of the artist's studio, and a sampling of the artist's work most of which is highly recognizable from popular children's books. A short biography of each artist is provided at the end of the book.

The most common thread of advice given by these illustrators is not to give up. Some of them were discouraged from pursuing art by family members while others were encouraged, but all of them stress that an artist must continue to draw, paint, or create art in whatever medium they prefer no matter what. Each self-portrait in this book is incredibly unique as the artists have drawn themselves as cowboys, as cartoons, and surrounded by the characters they've illustrated. I especially enjoyed that this book included creators of pop-up book art, since pop-up books do not immediately come to my mind as artistic, but really they are incredibly artful.

I particularly enjoyed a passage by Maurice Sendak in which he says, "you must never illustrate exactly what is written. You must find a space in the text so that the pictures can do the work." I feel that this book would be an inspiration for artists of any age, but the letters are simple enough to read that upper elementary students should have no problem reading through.





Professional Reviews:
Star Review in Booklist: "This book is a treasure!"
School Library Journal: "--a gorgeous, browsable gallery of international treasures."
Publishers Weekly: "--offers a captivating look at these illustrators' methods and the passion that lies behind their work."

Connections:
Encourage children to find a picture book who's pictures they particularly enjoy and discuss why.
Encourage children to illustrate their own story, made up on their own or just one they know.
*Other books about illustrators and artists:
Evans, Dilys. Show and Tell: Exploring the Fine Art of Children's Book Illustration. 0811849716
Marcus, Leonard S. A Caldecott Celebration: Seven Artists and their Paths to the Caldecott Medal. 978-0802797032


Image credit: www.carlemuseum.org