Book Review for Vardell 5603 -- Talking with Artists

1. Bibliography
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. 1992. Compiled and edited by Pat Cummings. NY: Macmillan. ISBN 0-02-724245-5.

2. Plot Summary
Cummings collected written responses from 14 successful children's book illustrators. Each illustrator had a two-page spread called "My story" and then each answered eight questions regarding work habits, inspiration, and how they got their big break. Each illustrator also included an early picture and at least one example of their published work.

3. Critical Analysis
Each illustrator had the opportunity in the "My story" section to become a real person to children, often telling of childhood art projects, first pictures, or early disappointments. Children can identify with the narrative style of the biographical sketches, which each included at least one surprising fact about the illustrator. The illustrators also introduced technical terms to the children in easy-to-understand language, explaining terms like painterly, charcoal, pen and ink, and agent. Each illustrator answered the same eight questions:

• Where do you get your ideas from?
• What is a normal day like for you?
• Where do you work?
• Do you have any children? Pets?
• What do you enjoy drawing the most?
• Do you ever put people you know in your pictures?
• What do you use to make your pictures?
• How did you get to do your first book?

After reading all fourteen mini biographies of the children's book authors, children should have an understanding of what is involved in illustrating a children's book. If they are interested in art, the book also serves as a wonderful inspiration to pursue art as a career.

4. Review excerpts

Boston Globe -- Horn Book Award (Non-Fiction, 1992)

Horn Book Fanfare Best Book (1993)

School Library Journal -- "Young artists will learn a lot; teachers and other children will also love it. Well designed and well conceived, this book will be welcomed in all those classrooms in which children's literature has become central to the curriculum."

Publisher's Weekly -- "Unfortunately, the often poignant reminiscences and outstanding talent on display cannot overcome the book's unimaginative layout and distractingly pragmatic text."

5. Connections

*Great for inclusion with a unit on careers.

*As an art lesson, share one of the interviews with students and have them look at several examples of the interviewee's illustrated works. Students could discuss the similarities and differences in each book and why it was or was not effective for a particular story.

*Collect all volumes of Cummings's TALKING WITH ARTISTS and have students find the section on their favorite illustrator, read it, and report to the class.