Illustrator: Bonnie Christensen
Peach’s Picks Rating:
Year of publication: 2011
City of publication: New York
Publisher: Christy Ottaviano Books, Henry Holt and Company
ISBN: 978-0-8050-8753-6
Author website: http://www.bonniechristensen.com/
Illustrator website: See entry for “Author website”
Media used for illustrations: Collage photo transfers on canvas, which were then painted in oil
Annotation: Andy Warhol’s “fabulous” life from his childhood in Pittsburgh through the peak of his fame in 1966 is told in a child-friendly manner introducing the man behind his iconic pop art.
Personal reaction to the book: Andy Warhol was born to poor Czech immigrant parents in Pittsburgh. He was a sickly child who was ridiculed by neighborhood children. The book opens in New York City, 1966. Mr. Warhol is sitting and talking with two friends. Turn the page and the reader encounters a sickly boy in 1930s Pittsburgh bent over a drawing pad. From an early age Warhol’s art talent was evident. As a teenager, he had the opportunity to attend free art classes at the Carnegie Museum in Pittsburgh. Later he attended the Carnegie Institute of Technology. After graduating, he went to New York City where he found work as an illustrator. His creative artwork slowly began to flourish and with that came his “fabulous” life and fame. The author draws on her personal connections with Warhol’s entourage to create this child-appropriate account of his life. This is not a straight biography; rather the reader receives an impression of his life mixed with facts of his childhood and adult life through 1966. The grittier parts of his life are not included. Christensen does a good job of showing Warhol’s life in a sympathetic manner both through text and illustrations which will encourage young readers to be interested in his life and work. The illustrations complement the text conveying emotion through the striking, highly-textured collages. Endpapers and the book jacket pay homage to Warhol’s art showing his iconic Campbell’s soup cans, Coca-Cola bottles, and Marilyn Monroe’s protrait. The illustrator aptly portrays Warhol’s success in the two-page spread (pages 25-26) where long lines of people wait to enter the museum in Philadelphia to see his show. The endnotes include more biographical information, a bibliography, and a time line. This is an excellent introduction to Andy Warhol’s to use with younger children as well as introducing older students to his life.
Further discussion of artwork:
In her book Children & Books, Zena Sutherland states, “Art is communication, whether it is in a museum or in a book, and to judge the success of artwork in children’s books we must evaluate it in terms of whether it speaks to the child. It must also be judged by how well it fits the story (or the information text) . . .” (page 115). Using this measure of judgment, the art work created for Fabulous! A Portrait of Andy Warhol by Bonnie Christensen is perfect. Not only do the illustrations portray emotions; for example, the loneliness of a young Warhol who sits alone and draws or lies in bed staring blankly into the room. They also pay homage to Warhol’s art. The illustrator incorporates Warhol’s work into the book. The reader sees inspirations for his artwork and replicas of his art. The endpapers pay tribute to Warhol’s creation titled Campbell’s Soup Cans. Andy Warhol is shown in college working in a studio where his painting Why Pick on Me is displayed on an easel. In a chapter titled “A Home” the reader sees Andy and his mother in the kitchen. Found throughout the kitchen are Campbell’s soup cans, a Kellogg’s Corn Flakes box, Del Monte cans, and bottles of Coca-Cola. These items are found in many of his artworks. Later in a chapter titled “The Factory” Warhol kneels on the floor working on his famous image of Marilyn Monroe while his creation titled Flowers hangs in the background. Incorporating Warhol’s artwork in the illustrations provides a solid introduction to his work. While reading the book, the reader is challenged to find Warhol’s work and identify it.
Reference
Sutherland, Z. (1997). Children and books, 9th Ed. New York: Longman.
General curricular connections:
- Art / study of genres
- Art/ study of artists
- Biography / Andy Warhol
Specific example of curricular connection matched to State Standards:
Subject: Art
Grade level: 6
California State Standard:
Visual Arts: Grade Six
2.0 Creative Expression
Creating, Performing, and Participating in the Visual Arts
Students apply artistic processes and skills, using a variety of media to communicate meaning and intent in original works of art.
Communication and Expression through Original Works of Art
2.5 Select specific media and processes to express moods, feelings, themes, or ideas.
Recommended grade levels:
School Library Journal recommends this book for use with grades 3-6
Booklist recommends this book for use with grades 3-6
Peach’s Picks recommends this book for use with 3-6
Awards/Recognitions:
Booklist starred review
School Library Journal starred review
Note: This book applies to the assignment criteria - books published in 2010-2011
Repetition: Warhol’s childhood derogatory nicknames are repeated throughout the book emphasizing that he was an outcast while growing up
Book cover picture retrieved from http://www.bonniechristensen.com/books/index.html
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