An Ordinary Couple and Their Extraordinary Collection of Art
A TRUE TALE WITH
A CHERRY ON TOP
Cameron Kids
(Abrams)
(pub.10.19.2021) 40 pages
Author: Jackie Azua Kramer
Illustrator: Julia Breckenreid
Characters: Dorothy Vogel
and Herbert Vogel
Overview: "In the heart of Manhattan lived a librarian and a postal clerk who loved art so much that they collected it. Over the years, Dorothy and Herbert brought home hundreds of works of art—from little-known SoHo artists to luminaries such as Sol LeWitt, Chuck Close and Christo and Jeanne-Claude—to their small, empty-walled apartment, much to the curiosity and delight of their eight cats and tank of fish. Their passion for art and support of artists was so impressive, Dorothy and Herbert became famous themselves. And when they gifted their extraordinary collection to the National Gallery of Art, their art became ours, inspiring new generations of artists."
Tantalizing taste:
"If Dorothy and Herbert liked the art,
could carry it in a cab or subway ...
move it up the elevator,
and fit it into
their tiny Upper East Side apartment,
they bought it.
They even traded cat-sitting for a collage
from an artist couple."
And something more: Jackie Azua Kramer explains in the Author's Note : Herbert and Dorothy "felt enjoying art is about discovering things that you find fun to look at. Their favorite was minimalist and conceptional art...Beginning in the 1960s, they bought and collected thousands of sculptures, paintings, mobiles, and drawings... The art was placed everywhere in their one-bedroom Manhattan apartment, including the kitchen, bathroom, inside closets, under the bed, and even on the ceiling!"
Julie Breckenreid shares in the Illustrator's Note: "These extraordinary people were passionate about supporting artists, so curious and joyful in their pursuit of understanding new ideas. This, coupled with their generosity, is so important for kids (big and small) to know about. Fostering curiosity about the world and being open to different people's perspectives is imperative... Showing you how I think through the images I create is important to me - I like to thin of it as a puzzle for you to solve - and it's my way of telling a story! My hope is that when you read this book, you'll see something new each time. If you're wondering about who some of the artist are in the illustrations, please have a look at my website for their names and where you can find their works." I highly recommend checking it out! I loved learning that the "The bathroom walls swayed and shimmied in red dots and yellow squiggles" referred to Sol LeWitt's art.
Updated: Jan 10, 2022
A Story of Yo-Yo Ma
A TRUE TALE WITH
A CHERRY ON TOP
Harper Collins
(pub. 9.28.2021) 40 pages
Author: Joanna Ho
Illustrator: Teresa Martinez
Character: Yo-Yo Ma
Overview: "Before Yo-Yo Ma became one of the most renowned and celebrated cellists, he wanted to play the double bass. But it was too big for his four-year-old hands. Over time, Ma honed his amazing talent, and his music became a reflection of his own life between borders, cultures, disciplines, and generations.
Since then, he has recorded over a hundred albums, won nineteen Grammy Awards, performed for eight American presidents, and received the National Medal of the Arts and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, just to name a few accomplishments.
Staying true to himself, Yo-Yo Ma performed at the US-Mexico border at the Rio Grande on April 13, 2019, as part of his multi-continent “Bach Project” tour to prove a point—through music, we can build bridges rather than walls between different cultures."
Tantalizing taste:
"Feet planted on the soil of one nation,
eyes gazing at the shores of another,
Yo-Yo Ma coaxed Petunia's strings to sing
Bach's cello suites.
Their notes danced over rocks and rivers
and walls
into the sky."
And something more: Joanna Ho shares in the Author's Note: "My mom used to blast a CD of Yo-Yo Ma playing Bach's cello suites early every Saturday morning. As a teenager, I hated it; I just wanted her to turn it off so I could sleep in...Now the cello suites remind me of her, a woman whose love and strength and power continue to astound me. My mom immigrated to the United States from Taiwan in her early twenties... When Yo-Yo Ma played at the border, it was an action of resistance and celebration, a reminder of the worth of immigrants, the work of immigrants, the belonging of immigrants here and everywhere. It felt like an act for me, for my family, and for anyone who has ever moved away from home in order to build a better life."
I was thrilled to be invited to be interviewed about our upcoming book, ABLAZE WITH COLOR - The Story of Painter Alma Thomas (Harper Collins 2/22/22) over the phone by TeachingBooks.net and also asked to submit a blog post. I chose to write about my experiences teaching a picture book unit to 7th graders.
Excerpts from my interview on TeachingBooks.net:
"I hope stories of creative people such as Alma Thomas will touch children and inspire everyone and each person to seek their own joy on their own creative paths. I believe absolutely everyone is so creative, and we can find joy and enrich our lives through art."
"I researched this story by reading absolutely every book, every gallery exhibit catalog, that I could find.And what was also really wonderful is Alma Thomas was interviewed many times in newspapers and magazines.I always like to find the actual words of the person I'm writing about because this is a true story. This is a biography, and no one tells their story better than themselves."
Excerpts from my blog post on TeachingBooks.net:
