Module 1: Picture Books - TALKING WITH ARTISTS

BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATA:

Cummings, Pat. 1992. TALKING WITH ARTISTS: CONVERSATIONS WITH VICTORIA CHESS, PAT CUMMINGS, LEO AND DIANE DILLON, RICHARD EGIELSKI, LOIS EHLERT, LISA CAMPBELL ERNST, TOM FEELINGS, STEVEN KELLOGG, JERRY PINKNEY, AMY SCHWARTZ, LANE SMITH, CHRIS VAN ALLSBURG, AND DAVID WIESNER. New York: Bradbury Press. ISBN 0027242455

PLOT SUMMARY:

In this fascinating look at the professional lives of fourteen famous children’s book illustrators, Cummings combines factual information with entertaining dialogue in the form of short interviews with the illustrators. The same eight questions are asked of each illustrator, and the surprisingly unique answers offer insight into each illustrator’s life and work. Autobiographical information, childhood and adult photographs, and childhood artwork are also included for each illustrator. The book is completed with a glossary of art terms as well as a list of five favorite books illustrated by each featured illustrator. This book is a great read for both adults and children interested in learning more about the lives, talents, and work of professional children’s book illustrators.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS:

Cummings does a great job compiling and editing the illustrator interviews for this book. There is a section devoted to each illustrator, and the sections are arranged in alphabetical order by the illustrator’s last name. Each illustrator’s section begins with a “My Story” segment, which contains autobiographical information on the illustrator’s childhood, family, first memories of art, schooling, and path to a professional career. Included with the “My Story” segment are two photographs of the illustrator, one current and one from childhood. Coupled with the autobiographical information, the photographs offer the reader a true look into the illustrator’s life, both past and present. Following the “My Story” segment is a series of the following eight questions posed to each illustrator:

1. Where do you get your ideas from?
2. What is a normal day like for you?
3. Where do you work?
4. Do you have any children? Any pets?
5. What do you enjoy drawing the most?
6. Do you ever put people you know in your pictures?
7. What do you use to make your pictures?
8. How did you get to do your first book?

The wording of these questions allows all readers, both young and old, to engage with the book. The variety of interesting answers will keep readers’ interest while allowing the illustrators’ personalities to shine through. Also included in each illustrator’s interview section are samples of both childhood and current artwork. These sample illustrations are a major part of this book, and children will surely spend as much time looking at the beautiful illustrations as reading the interviews. Readers will delight in examining the childhood artwork of the famous illustrators, and readers may even see similarities in their own artwork.

While all of the illustrators’ answers to the eight questions are unique, there are some common messages conveyed to the reader. All of the illustrators are passionate about their work, and readers are left with a sense of the importance of finding success in doing what you love. Also present is the strong message of hard work and dedication paying off in the end. Children reading this book will also take comfort in the message that people can do anything they put their minds to.

The artists highlighted in this book were carefully chosen for their significant contributions to the field, and children will easily recognize the work of many of these fourteen illustrators. Cummings does an excellent job of selecting illustrators with a wide range of ethnicities and backgrounds. Her careful choices from all walks of life further accentuate the message to young readers that anyone can aspire to success with hard work and determination. The attention devoted to each illustrator’s individual family and cultural experiences is engaging and refreshing. Readers will be able to identify with many of the personal experiences shared in the book, which creates a feeling of listening to captivating personal stories rather than simply reading a list of facts.

This book would make a great addition to any library, and it is an interesting read for anyone who has ever enjoyed a good picture book or beautiful artwork. Due to the book’s amazing ability to blend factual information with entertaining dialogue, even young children will remain engaged with this book. Readers will be left with a greater understanding of the process involved with illustrating a children’s book as well as a feeling of companionship with some of the most well loved children’s illustrators of recent times.

REVIEW EXCERPT:

From HORN BOOK starred (September, 1992):
“Fourteen well-known children's book illustrators respond to questions about their lives and work in a lively interchange of ideas...An inspired concept, executed with class.”

CONNECTIONS:

*Other books in the Talking with Artists series:
Cummings, Pat. 1995. TALKING WITH ARTISTS, VOLUME 2: CONVERSATIONS WITH THOMAS B. ALLEN, MARY JANE BEGIN, FLOYD COOPER, JULIE DOWNING, DENISE FLEMING, SHEILA HAMANAKA, KEVIN HENKES, WILLIAM JOYCE, MAIRA KALMAN, DEBORAH NOURSE LATTIMORE, BRIAN PINKNEY, VERA B. WILLIAMS, AND DAVID WISNIEWSKI. New York: Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing. ISBN 0689803109

Cummings, Pat. 1999. TALKING WITH ARTISTS, VOLUME 3: CONVERSATIONS WITH PETER CATALANOTTO, RAUL COLON, LISA DESIMINI, JANE DYER, KEVIN HAWKES, G. BRIAN KARAS, BETSY LEWIN, TED LEWIN, KEIKO NARAHASHI, ELISE PRIMAVERA, ANNA RICH, PETER SIS, AND PAUL O. ZELINSKY. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 0395891329

*Included in set: Boston Globe Horn Book - Nonfiction Winners Past [set/series]

*Activities:
This book would serve as a great introduction to a read aloud of any one of the featured illustrators’ picture books. Students can use the foundation of knowledge regarding picture book illustrators gained from this book to lead more thoughtful discussions on the importance of illustrations to actual picture books.

This book would serve as a great resource for a research project featuring one of the illustrators in the book. Students could be encouraged to compile a project featuring one of the illustrators and his/her artwork.

*Websites:
http://howtobeachildrensbookillustrator.wordpress.com/
http://www.picturebookartists.org/
http://www.picture-book-illustrators.com/