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40 pp.
| Getty
| September, 2021
|
TradeISBN 978-1-947440-06-7$17.99
(3)
K-3
Illustrated by
Michael Garland.
This biography of the early-twentieth-century photographer--whose work brought attention to inhumane child-labor practices--incorporates some of Hine's own words (italicized) in the free verse text (a "fusion of history and storytelling...grounded in careful research"). Readers meet some of Hine's (fictionalized) young subjects at an oyster cannery, a cranberry bog, a shoe factory (where he's denied entry), a cotton mill (where he deceives the overseer to gain access), and more. Together the impressionistic text and sepia-toned illustrations convey the work's drudgery and dangers. Ten pages of back matter feature (small) reproductions of Hine's work along with cultural and historical context and reflections on using art to affect social change. An annotated timeline traces the history of child labor and important dates in Hine's life.
96 pp.
| Getty
| February, 2018
|
TradeISBN 978-1-947440-01-2$21.95
(3)
YA
The seventeenth-century entomologist, ecologist, and artist fully comes to life in this absorbing biography. Richly illustrated with over a hundred images, including those by Merian, her daughters, and their contemporaries, this comprehensive book presents Merian's personality and unique contributions while also providing ample insight into the era in which she worked. The authors' scholarly backgrounds are on display in the depth and detail of coverage. Bib., glos., ind.
96 pp.
| Getty
| March, 2018
|
TradeISBN 978-1-947440-00-5$19.95
(1)
YA
Illustrated by
Zeke Peña.
Photographer Iturbide's story is told in comic-panel format, with striking black-and-white illustrations, high-quality reproductions of her own photographs, and spare first-person narration drawing upon her writing and interviews; interspersed are section introductions in a more conversational third-person, direct-address text. A powerful homage to the five-decade evolution of an artist still working--and still evolving--today. Additional biographical information is appended. Reading list.
Reviewer: Katie Bircher
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
September, 2018
40 pp.
| Getty
| March, 2016
|
TradeISBN 978-1-60606-473-3$19.95
(3)
K-3
Illustrated by
Renée Graef.
In seventeenth-century Paris, a talented girl creates a tapestry based on a painting by her father. King Louis XIV commissions a larger version for Versailles, even though females at the king's factory aren't permitted to be weavers. This story reveals the complexity of weaving, while realistic paintings capture the period and help elucidate the artistic process. An author's note and pronunciation guide are appended. Glos.
40 pp.
| Getty
| September, 2015
|
TradeISBN 978-1-60606-460-3$16.95
(4)
K-3
In a disjointed story, Gibert satirically combines two historical events--the hot-air balloon invented by the Montgolfier brothers in 1783 and the 1789 French Revolution--by imagining that the sheep, hen, and duck sent up in the balloon insult King Louis XVI upon landing; sent to the Bastille, they become revolutionaries six years later. The stylish illustrations, with mixed patterns and regal jewel tones, add interest.
120 pp.
| Getty
| November, 2014
|
TradeISBN 978-1-60606-429-0$24.95
(4)
YA
This handsome volume traces the use of (and science behind) colors throughout art history, from manganese black in the prehistoric Lascaux Cave paintings to contemporary artist David Hockney's use of "pixels as pigment." Finlay's prose is richly informed but unpretentious, and the art reproductions are excellent. However, sidebars, lengthy captions, and full-page inserts on semi-related topics sometimes interrupt the main narrative's flow. Ind.
32 pp.
| Getty
| March, 2012
|
TradeISBN 978-1-60606-094-0$17.95
(4)
K-3
Illustrated by
Gary Hovland.
When Uncle Henri, tasked with designing a fancy chandelier for a Paris salon, falls short on ideas, his great-nephew Louis Alexandre, who narrates the book, becomes his collaborator. Set in the early 1800s, this imagined history of one of the Getty Museum's treasures will lose kids with its length, although the comical period décor will catch their eyes.
48 pp.
| Getty
| March, 2011
|
TradeISBN 978-1-60606-050-6$16.95
(3)
4-6
At its core, the volume is a descriptive list of mythological monsters, from the immortal half-woman, half-serpent Echidna to Python, the dangerous snake sent to kill baby Apollo. The notebook-style layout includes doodles, photographs, and scrap papers, making the book appear to be a relic unearthed from the ruins of a modern school locker.
32 pp.
| Getty
| September, 2011
|
TradeISBN 978-1-60606-085-8$19.95
(3)
4-6
The text of this illustrated volume is "inspired by Homer's Iliad and other stories of ancient Greece." The writing, in free verse (and in very small type), is complex and poetic. Angular, imaginative illustrations are visually striking and lend themselves well to emphasizing the theme of the doomed warrior.
48 pp.
| Getty
| April, 2010
|
TradeISBN 978-1-60606-008-7$9.95
(4)
4-6
Despite its name, the volume is more like a small encyclopedia in that each god's entry is one or two pages long. The Aztec gods are discussed first, followed by the Mayan. Additionally, gods are separated into sections based on type or purpose ("Creator Gods," "Gods of War," etc.). Small pictures of ancient artworks (unsourced) illustrate the information.
60 pp.
| Getty
| March, 2010
|
TradeISBN 978-1-60606-012-4$19.95
(4)
4-6
This oversize picture book, formatted like a graphic novel, retells Homer's The Odyssey. Clipped cadences describe the Greek hero's voyage home after the Trojan War: "Ulysses seeks among the waves / The invisible route to Ithaca." The somber illustrations' elongated figures and variegated hues may be off-putting to some, but the helpful panel-to-panel arrows keep readers on track.
40 pp.
| Getty
| April, 2010
|
TradeISBN 978-0-89236-999-7$17.95
(4)
K-3
Illustrated by
Esther Pearl Watson.
This alphabet book pairs letters with an artist's tool or material, media or technique, or something more abstract (e.g., Q for question). The rhyming text is dull ("B is for BRUSH, / used to paint or to write / On a wall or a page / or a canvas of white"), but the doodles and splotches of color are eye-catching. Fifteen project ideas are included.
36 pp.
| Getty
| March, 2010
|
TradeISBN 978-1-60606-003-2$16.95
(3)
PS
Lift the flap in a pink double-page spread and discover a rosy-cheeked child from a Renoir painting. Turn the page to see the full painting and learn the child is Coco, Renoir's son. Seven more spreads introduce the color, art, and subjects of Renoir's famous paintings in this thoughtfully designed book.
80 pp.
| Getty
| May, 2010
|
TradeISBN 978-0-89236-985-0$17.95
(3)
YA
This volume provides a colorful overview of life in ancient Greece. Each chapter covers a different topic and, though short, contains lots of information. Numerous photographs of art and artifacts, along with accompanying captions, illustrate the bygone culture. Additional sidebars provide quotes from ancient authorities that help put a personal touch on the text. Reading list, timeline. Ind.
(2)
K-3
These crisply reproduced volumes present four of Politi's beloved stories set in California. Emmet tells of a mischievous stray dog. The other three books are Caldecott honorees, with Pedro and Juanita (both set on Los Angeles's Olvera Street) receiving honor awards and Swallows (about a boy at the San Juan Capistrano Mission) the Caldecott Medal. Review covers these titles: Emmet, Juanita, Pedro, and Song of the Swallows.
Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
January, 1947
(2)
K-3
These crisply reproduced volumes present four of Politi's beloved stories set in California. Emmet tells of a mischievous stray dog. The other three books are Caldecott honorees, with Pedro and Juanita (both set on Los Angeles's Olvera Street) receiving honor awards and Swallows (about a boy at the San Juan Capistrano Mission) the Caldecott Medal. Review covers these titles: Emmet, Juanita, Pedro, and Song of the Swallows.
(2)
K-3
These crisply reproduced volumes present four of Politi's beloved stories set in California. Emmet tells of a mischievous stray dog. The other three books are Caldecott honorees, with Pedro and Juanita (both set on Los Angeles's Olvera Street) receiving honor awards and Swallows (about a boy at the San Juan Capistrano Mission) the Caldecott Medal. Review covers these titles: Emmet, Juanita, Pedro, and Song of the Swallows.
(2)
K-3
These crisply reproduced volumes present four of Politi's beloved stories set in California. Emmet tells of a mischievous stray dog. The other three books are Caldecott honorees, with Pedro and Juanita (both set on Los Angeles's Olvera Street) receiving honor awards and Swallows (about a boy at the San Juan Capistrano Mission) the Caldecott Medal. Review covers these titles: Emmet, Juanita, Pedro, and Song of the Swallows.
80 pp.
| Getty
| September, 2009
|
TradeISBN 978-0-89236-986-7$14.95
(3)
YA
Readers curious about ancient Roman daily life will be satisfied by this volume. The text is organized by people's stations in society--from kings to charioteers, children and slaves--and also explains how each group fit into the whole of the culture. The many photographs of Roman architecture, art, and artifacts (most from the British Museum's collection) help bring the ancient culture to life. Reading list. Ind.
64 pp.
| Getty
| April, 2007
|
TradeISBN 978-0-89236-878-5$9.95
(4)
K-3
Each letter of the alphabet is accompanied by a historic, artistic, or avant-garde black-and-white photograph. "A is for Abe," for example, is accompanied by a photo of Abraham Lincoln on the Civil War battlefield. The book is beautifully designed and the photos well chosen, but the words seem to be an afterthought. Each image is briefly described in the end matter.