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Illustrator:
Martin Jarrie
With
folk art-style
illustrations
that echo
the artistic
legacy of
generations
of American
painters,
Jarrie has
created a
volume to
be cherished.
It's suitable
for little
ones learning
their ABCs,
slightly older
kids who want
to find out
more about
their country's
symbols, and
grownups who
appreciate
fine art.
Best of all,
it truly goes
to the heart
of the American
spirit in
all its diversity
and depth. Here
are treasured
landmarks,
significant
events that
shaped the
nation's development,
and also the
flora, fauna,
and fun things
so dear to
our hearts.
A is for alligator,
and B is for
baseball--and the
image shows
a great big
mitt, a player
at bat, and
a pitcher
winding up.
G is for the
Grand Canyon,
portrayed
in deep, earthy
colors topped
by a violet
sky. H is for
Hollywood,
depicted in
a witty montage.
P features
Pilgrims,
R has a Rodeo,
and U reminds
us of the
Underground
Railroad.
At the book's
end, two spreads
with thumbnail
versions of
every picture provide
additional
background
information.
From Booklist
Illustrator Jarrie may be French, but his take on the ABCs is purely American.
Employing a folk-art style, he highlights one letter of the alphabet per
page, illustrating it with a quintessentially U.S. idea and image. B is
for baseball, and a glove and ball stand out against a distressed wood
background with a pitcher and hitter also decorating the page. On the
page for the letter I, immigrants standing at the bow of a boat look out
on Ellis Island; the facing page, celebrating J for jazz, has pictures
of musicians and a singer. A couple of the choices seem a little off;
especially the alligator that represents A, but a key at the back with
thumbnail reprints of the art gives a bit of information about the images
(the alligator is the official reptile of Florida). Jarrie's figures look
like country wood carvings, and he manages to give an amazing amount of
depth to simple shapes (a flag curls like a ribbon) and even more to objects
with statuesque dimensions such as the cliffs of the Grand Canyon. The
deceptively childlike look of the artwork makes this a natural for a young
audience. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved |
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Ages
5-7
$14.95
(hardcover)
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