Talking with Artists

Bibliography
Cummings, Pat.1992. TALKING WITH ARTISTS. Bradbury Press. New York, New York. ISBN 0027242455

Plot Summary
This book is a nonfiction picture book. It is an informational book on illustrators. Each illustrator is asked the same questions about their life and how they began illustrating.

Critical Analysis
This book is a hard read for younger readers. I think most elementary students are only going to use pieces of this book and will have a hard time getting through the text. I think readers will be drawn to the various illustrations throughout the book. This book is great to gain information on a particular illustrator. As a teacher/librarian I really enjoy this book but I can see why it gets little circulation in an elementary school library. I like that this book has the same interview format through out with the same illustrators. It would be easy to compare and contrast different illustrators.

Review Excerpt(s)
Publishers Weekly: “Brief autobiographical statements precede interviews that touch on both personal and professional concerns--working conditions, pets, and business associates. Each subject is represented by one or two samples of his or her current work and one childhood piece, usually a real charmer.”
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.”

Connections
*This book is great for teaching about artists and how they got started.
*This book could be paired with an author/illustrator study. Readers could learn important facts about the author or illustrator while reading books that they worked on.
Van Allsburg, Chris. THE POLAR EXPRESS. ISBN 0395389496
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