Chiara Lossani has written a number of books in Italian foryoung children. She lives in Milan, Italy. Octavia Monaco is an Italian illustrator who has createdthe art for many children's books, including Klimt andHis Cat (Eerdmans). Octavia lives in Modena. For moreinformation, visit her website at www.artofoctaviamonaco.com. "
AWARDS and RECOGNITIONS
Children's Book Council (CBC), Children's Choices (2012) Kirkus
Reviews"This darkly fanciful portrait manifests van Gogh's inner
turmoil so well that reading it is an unsettling experience.
Voluminous text and busy full-bleed murals with surreal scale and
stylized perspective offer little guidance about where to focus.
The narrative carries Vincent and dedicated brother Theo from
childhood to death. Showy yet stilted prose and the personified
wind's cryptic role will bore pragmatists but please drama-seekers:
Theo 'would run through the fields until his heart burst. You'll
always be close, murmurs the wind, even when I blow different
destinies your way.' Vincent moves from place to place, tormented,
and Theo is helpless to calm him. Like his notorious meltdown ('in
a moment of anguish, Vincent cuts his own ear'), Vincent's death at
his own hands is neither glossed over nor fully detailed. Although
his brilliant artwork is a key subject, visually it's given short
shrift -- reproductions are dwarfed by Monaco's hectic
illustrations and are too glossy to showcase van Gogh's notable
painterly texture. Useful as a reflection of Vincent's unhappiness;
look elsewhere to view his art." Booklist
"This literary look at an artistic life, originally published in
Italy, follows van Gogh's many challenges and passions from
childhood to death. His brother Theo plays a large role; in fact,
Lossani says she was inspired by the siblings' letters to write
this title. . . Fourteen reproductions of the artist's works are
integrated into the surreal, collage illustrations, which place
portraits of the painter in color-saturated settings of floating
windmills, shifting clouds, giant sunflowers, and splashing paint
and are well-matched to the mood and tone of the words. . . the
lines are descriptive and informative and may inspire young people
to, like van Gogh, connect with nature, listen to their hearts, and
ask themselves about their passions: 'What will you do next? What
will you become?' " Publishers Weekly
"Even as a child, Vincent van Gogh's brazen temperament set him
apart. As he grew older, he struggled to escape his discontent, and
after failing as a preacher, he found absolution in art. Monaco
places redheaded, lean-legged van Gogh inside stylized mixed-media
landscapes that mimic the brighter-than-life colors and skewed
perspectives of his paintings, which appear throughout. Written in
present tense, Lossani's substantial narrative offers immediacy and
candor, as van Gogh alienates himself from his brother, Theo, and
others ('perhaps the alcohol he has started drinking doesn't
help?'), and moves to Provence, where the mistral wind and night
sky unleash his most fervent creative instincts. But his mental
health deteriorates, leading to his ear mutilation and suicide. The
aggressive imagery in this beautifully crafted yet unhappy story
may trouble sensitive readers." School Library Journal
"This book follows van Gogh from childhood through the development
of his tumultuous artistic career, concluding with his untimely
death. In tracing the events of the artist's life, the author
explores his close relationship with his younger brother, Theo,
through excerpts from their personal correspondence. Darker
elements of van Gogh's life, such as alcoholism, mental illness,
and suicide, are touched upon in a way that is honest but not
gratuitous. Large, imaginative illustrations match the lyrical
quality of the text, while bold brushstrokes, vivid color, and
images of sunflowers subtly evoke the artist's style. Reproductions
of van Gogh's paintings are deftly integrated into many of the
illustrations, providing readers with a look at his artistic
evolution. " Betsy Bird
-- Fuse #8 Production at School Library Journal
"This isn't the usual fare, which is precisely why I like it. . .
for a story that delves deeply into the very brain of its subject
without going too far, there are few titles to compete. A
beautiful, odd book."
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