Maya Lin

Artist-Architect of Light and Lines

Christy Ottaviano Books

(Henry Holt and Company)
(pub. 5.2.2017)
32 pages

A True Tale with
A Cherry On Top  

A uthor: Jeanne Walker Harvey
      and illustrator: Dow Phumiruk

C haracter: Maya Lin

O verview from the jacket flap: 

     "You may be familiar with the iconic Vietnam Veterans Memorial, but do you know about the artist-architect who created this landmark?

     As a child, Maya Lin loved to study the spaces around her. She explored the forest in her backyard, observing woodland creatures, and used her house as a model to build tiny towns out of paper and scraps. The daughter of a clay artist and a poet, Maya grew up with art and learned to think with her hands as well as her mind. From her first experiments with light and lines to the height of her success nationwide, this is a the story of an inspiring American artist."    

T antalizing taste: 
      

"The first time Maya visited

the finished wall, she searched

for the name of the father of a friend.

When she touched the name, she cried,

just as she knew others would.

Thousands came that Veterans Day

to see and touch and remember.

Salutes, hands on hearts, honoring.

And every day since then,

visitors have done the same."

 
and something more: I cannnot begin to express my deep appreciation and admiration for everyone who has been involved in the creation of this book --  Deborah Warren of East West Literary Agency (my incredible agent who found a home, a perfect home, for my manuscript), Dow Phumiruk (the amazing illustrator who absolutely astounded me with her talent and perception), Christy Ottaviano (the publisher/editor who edited with the perfect gentle touch and allowed the book to blossom with her attention to detail and incredible talent and experience), and everyone else at Ottaviano Books/Henry Holt who contributed to the book. A picture book is truly a collaborative process, and so many people had a part in it. I truly feel as if I've won the literary lottery with the publication of this book -- it's more than I ever envisioned. 

    Thank you also to my dear family and friends who always support me and encourage me in my writing. I am honored and humbled to have had the opportunity to write this book about Maya Lin and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

    And today, Memorial Day, I learned from the National Mall NPS, that three new names are being dedicated today at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, bringing the total number of names to 58,318. My heartfelt thanks and appreciation and admiration to all who served.

Honey Girl The Hawaiian Monk Seal

Arbordale Publishing

(published 2.10.2017)
* JUST RELEASED*
32 pages 

A True Tale with
A Cherry On Top  

A uthor: Jeanne Walker Harvey
      and Illustrator: 
           Shennen Bersani

C haracter: Honey Girl the Hawaiian Monk Seal

O verview from the jacket flap: 

    "Hawaiian locals and visitors always enjoy spotting endangered Hawaiian monk seals, but Honey Girl is an extra special case. She has raised seven pups, and scientists call her 'Super Mom.' After Honey Girl is injured by a fishhook, she gets very sick. Scientists and veterinarians work to save Honey Girl until she can be released back to her beach. This true story will have readers captivated to learn more about his endangered species." 
    
T antalizing taste: 
     
    "Honey Girl hadn't been able to catch or swallow food for several weeks. Unable to eat, she would soon starve. Could she be saved?
     The scientists surrounded her. Honey Girl raised her head as if to bark, but she couldn't make a sound. The people gently lifted her into a crate in the back of a truck. They drove her across the island to Waikiki Aquarium."

and something more: I'm thrilled to share Honey Girl's story so beautifully illustrated by Shennen Bersani (the illustrator of our other marine mammal rescue story, ASTRO THE STELLER SEA LION).
    I dedicated the book "to my amazing sons, Will and Scott, who were with me when I first saw a Hawaiian monk seal (possible Honey Girl) at the Turtle Bay beach."  
    And, as every book is a collaboration and a network of support, I've shared my gratitude at the end of  HONEY GIRL THE HAWAIIAN MONK SEAL: 
 

       "Thank you to Dr. Michelle Barbieri, Hawaiian Monk Seal Health Program Coordinator for the Marine Mammal Center/ Ke Kai Ola and NOAA Fisheries, who was with Honey Girl in her rescue, rehabilitation and release, and who generously shared her experiences and expertise with me. 
        And I appreciate all the volunteers, veterinarians, scientists and staff at NOAA Fisheries Hawaiian Monk Seal Research Program (HMSRP), Pacific Islands Regional Office, Waikiki Aquarium, Honolulu Zoo, Hawaiian Monk Seal Response Team Oahu (HMSRTO), and The Marine Mammal Center who worked together to rescue and care for Honey Girl.

        My heartfelt thanks to those who helped me with this story: The Marine Mammal Center’s Executive Director Dr. Jeff Boehm and Story and Communications Curator Sarah van Schagen, Lanikai General Store owner Donna Festa, the committed volunteers in Hawaii featured in the MonkSealMania blog, and my dear family and friends who always encourage me in my writing endeavors.

        And special thanks to my friend and talented illustrator, Shennen Bersani, and expert editor Katie Hall of Arbordale Publishing."

                                                               MAHALO!!

My Hands Sing the Blues

Romare Bearden's
Childhood Journey

This post is part of Nonfiction Monday 

hosted today by Playing By The Book

Marshall Cavendish Children

(pub. 9.1.2011)  40 pages 

A True Tale with A Cherry On Top

A uthor: Jeanne Walker Harvey
     and Illustrator:  Elizabeth Zunon

C haracter: Romare Bearden

 

O verview from the jacket flap: 

         "As a young boy growing up in North Carolina, Romare Bearden listened to his great-grandmother's Cherokee stories and the whistles of trains steaming through town.
     When Romare's family, faced with Jim Crow laws, decided to head north, tears stung Romare's eyes as he watched the world whiz by out the train window.  Later he captured his childhood memories in a famous painting, Watching the Good Trains Go By.  Using that painting as inspiration and creating a text influenced by the blues and jazz that Bearden loved, Jeanne Walker Harvey has created a story of Bearden's childhood.  She describes the patchwork of daily southern life that he saw from the train's window and the story of his arrival in shimmering New York City." 

 

T antalizing taste: 

     " I snip a patch of color and add a cut-out face.
      Oh! I glue on jazzy blue for sky and add another face.
      People walk into my work as if it's always been their place.

      My hands sing the blues when I paint and cut and paste.
      I never know what I’ll create when I paint and cut and paste.
      I use paper, fabrics, photos, and nothing goes to waste.”

and something more:   At first I hesitated to write this post about my own book, My Hands Sing the Blues - Romare Bearden's Childhood Journey, which was released this week!  But then I decided I wanted to sing about it from the rooftops (and my blog) -- it's such an exciting event for me.  A dream come true! 
        I first had the idea to write this book in 2004 when, as a docent at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, I gave tours to school groups of an incredible Bearden exhibit organized by The National Gallery (Ruth Fine, curator and author of the comprehensive The Art of Romare Bearden which I studied).  During my tours at SFMOMA, I could barely move the students to the next painting because they were so fascinated by Romare Bearden's huge collages and the stories they told. 
         So many people have been part of this book journey with me.  I dedicated the book to my mom -- "For my mother, June, who always inspires me to put a beat of color on an empty canvas." It's true -- she embodies creativity and instilled a love of it (and modern art) in me.  My dear husband and my wonderful sons have always been my biggest supporters and early readers of my drafts.  And I also owe heartfelt thanks to my dad, my family and wonderful friends who always encourage me, the San Francisco Docent Program that inspired me to write this book, my writer mentors (including Uma Krishnaswami who kept my writing spark lit when I was doubting myself, and Anastasia Suen whose courses kept me focused and inspired, and Amy Novesky who has included me in the warmth of her writing groups), and Margery Cuyler, an amazing editor at Marshall Cavendish (and author of many children's books also), who artfully guided me to rethink the text in just the right spots, and the incredibly talented artist Elizabeth Zunon, who is truly the best illustrator I can imagine for this book, and Lucy, my 11 year old black Lab who patiently listened as I read my many drafts aloud over and over and over again.  Thank you to all!

            "When I put a beat of color on an empty canvas,
                  I never know what's coming down the track." 

Dave the Potter -- Artist, Poet, Slave

* This post is part of the children's Nonfiction Monday
hosted today by The Miss Rumphius Effect * 

Little Brown and Company (pub. 9.7.2010)
40 pages  Grades K-4

A True Tale with A Cherry On Top 

A uthor:  LABAN CARRICK HILL

               and Illustrator:  BRYAN COLLIER

C haracter: Dave, a South Carolina artist,

                     potter and poet who inscribed
                     his poems on the pots he created
                     even though it was illegal for slaves
                     to read or write

O verview from the jacket flap:                                           

"To us                                                                              
it is just dirt,
the ground we walk on...
But to Dave
it was clay,
the plain and basic stuff
upon which he formed a life
as a slave nearly 200 years ago.

      Dave was an extraordinary artist, poet, and potter who lived in South Carolina in the 1800s.  He combined his superb artistry with deeply observant poetry, carved on his pots, transcending the limitations he faced as a slave.  In this inspiring and lyrical portrayal... Dave's remarkable story [is] one rich in history, hope, and long-lasting beauty."

T antalizing taste:

"Each one began

out of clouds of dust,

clotted clumps of clay

ground in the pug mill and carried,

wheelbarrow after wheelbarrow,

to Dave's spinning potter's wheel."

and something more:  Bravo!  Just two weeks ago, it was announced that the children's picture book biography, DAVE THE POTTER, was named a Caldecott Honor Book, and Bryan Collier will be presented with the Coretta Scott King Book Award recognizing an African American illustrator of outstanding books for children and young adults. "Bryan Collier has crafted a stunning visual tribute to the life of an unsung American artist," said Jonda C. McNair, award jury chair.

      Bryan Collier's incredible watercolor and collage illustrations, with powerful words and images of people woven into the backgrounds, remind me of the art of Romare Bearden. After being captivated by his work shown at an exhibit at SFMOMA curated by Ruth Fine of The National Gallery, I wrote a picture book about him (MY HANDS SING THE BLUES illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon, Marshall Cavendish Childrens, Fall 2011).  When I toured school groups at this exhibit, children were mesmerized by the amazing collages and always found a sense of connection to the stories and people in Romare Bearden's art.  

     Bryan Collier's biography says that "he directs mural programs throughout the city for any child who wants to paint."  What a wonderful gift he is sharing! After being Program Director for 12 years, he still volunteers with the Harlem Horizon Studio and Harlem Hospital Center with a program that provides working space and materials for self-taught artists in the community. 
     As he explains, "It gives the community, the schools, the kids, and the parents the opportunity to come together for a very positive uplifting cause - the building and re-building of self-esteem, teaching the appreciation of art, and keeping the kids connected and involved and away from negative influences."

     Bryan's Collier's dedication in DAVE THE POTTER says "I dedicate this book to all artists, and everyone who loves picture books.  Because this story is really about the power of the human spirit, artistry, and truth, and that cannot be silenced by bondage of any kind."

     The power of words and art is embodied in Dave's poetry and the art of his pottery, and the poetry and illustrations of DAVE THE POTTER.