  | People's painter : how Ben Shahn fought for justice with art Author: Levinson, Cynthia | |
| Price: $23.28 | ||
Summary:
As a young 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 with him both his sharp artistic eye and his desire to fight for what's right.
| Illustrator: | Turk, Evan |
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| Accelerated Reader Information: Interest Level: LG Reading Level: 4.80 Points: .5 Quiz: 514818 |
Awards:
Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award, 2022
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (+) (03/15/21)
Booklist (+) (02/15/21)
The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (+) (00/04/21)
The Hornbook (+) (00/07/21)
Full Text Reviews:
Booklist - 02/15/2021 *Starred Review* Ben Shahn’s first memories as a boy in his early twentieth-century Lithuanian village were of drawing. Because paper was scarce, the Jewish boy traced the Hebrew letters in his book of Bible stories and drew in the margins. From a young age, Shahn also had a strong sense of justice, particularly after his father was banished to Siberia for demanding fair pay for working people. This eloquent picture-book biography focuses on Shahn’s path to becoming an artist after he and his family escaped to America. While overcoming the hardships of being an immigrant, Shahn apprenticed as a lithographer by day and attended art school at night. With an emphasis on landscapes, art school quickly discouraged Shahn, who wanted to tell stories through his art. 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. Levinson highlights three of Shahn’s greatest accomplishments: his Sacco and Vanzetti series, photos of the Great Depression, and the Jersey Homesteads mural from the New Deal era. A concluding author’s note provides more information on Shahn’s personal life, his social realism style, and his influence on children’s author and illustrator Tomie dePaola. A thoughtful introduction to this social-justice artist. - Copyright 2021 Booklist.
