Description
Book SynopsisThe People’s Painter is a lyrically told, exquisitely illustrated picture book biography of influential Jewish artist and activist Ben Shahn.A Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal Winner An Association of Jewish Libraries Sydney Taylor Book Award Notable Picture Book“The first thing I can remember,” Ben said, “I drew.” As an observant child growing up in Lithuania, Ben Shahn yearns to draw everything he sees—and, after seeing his father banished by the Czar for demanding workers’ rights, he develops a keen sense of justice, too.
So when Ben and the rest of his family make their way to America, Ben brings both his sharp artistic eye and his desire to fight for what’s right. As he grows, he speaks for justice through his art—by disarming classmates who bully him because he’s Jewish, by defying his teachers’ insistence that
Trade Review**STARRED REVIEW** "Turk’s expressive paintings with exaggerated features evoke the spirit of Shahn and the artist’s depictions of the immigrant experience, working people, and protests. . . A thoughtful introduction to this social justice artist." * Booklist *
**STARRED REVIEW** "Levinson’s text moves in a smooth, accessible flow. Turk, a professed devotee of Shahn’s work, is quite possibly the ideal illustrator for this title. . . A marvelous spur to kids beginning to consider the way art can be political." * Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books *
**STARRED REVIEW** "Levinson skillfully shows the artist’s relatable qualities, such as when young Ben refuses to name names after a classroom prank. Her celebratory text is well-complemented by Turk’s strong and distinctively bold, colorful, mixed-media art... Excellent." * The Horn Book Magazine *
**STARRED REVIEW** "Bold, richly layered multimedia illustrations by Turk feature abstracted characters in Shahn’s style, while Levinson’s smooth, well-researched narrative provides a comprehensive introduction to a justice-minded painter." * Publishers Weekly *
**STARRED REVIEW** "Well-researched and-sourced, this is a valuable addition to the canon of artist biographies. This life of an artist with a social conscience makes itself heard." * Kirkus Reviews *
