Thursday, July 4, 2013

The Fantastic Jungles of Henri Rousseau - Michelle Markel

Illustrated by Amanda Hall
2012, Eerdmans Books for Young Readers
HC "Ages 5-9"
32 pages
Goodreads rating: 4.17
My rating: 5
Endpapers: Lush jungle with flowers and animals
Title Page: Rousseau eating breakfast outside a cafe, with the Eiffel tower and a French flag in the background
Illustrations:  A+ Perfect for this book!

1st line: "Henri Rousseau wants to be an artist.  Not a single person has ever told him he is talented.  He's a toll collector.  He's forty years old."

Goodreads: Henri Rousseau wanted to be an artist. But he had no formal training. Instead, he taught himself to paint. He painted until the jungles and animals and distant lands in his head came alive on the space of his canvases. Henri Rousseau endured the harsh critics of his day and created the brilliant paintings that now hang in museums around the world. Michelle Markel's vivid text, complemented by the vibrant illustrations of Amanda Hall, artfully introduces young readers to the beloved painter and encourages all readers to persevere despite all odds

My comments on Goodreads:  A wonderfully illustrated story of how Henri Rousseau, despite all sorts of negative appreciation, pursued the artistic career that he dearly wanted. He never gave up, and kept painting until he was quite old. This book really SHOWS how he worked and worked and never gave up. Interestingly, it's told in the present tense.

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