Book Descriptions
for Norman Rockwell by Beverly Gherman and Norman Rockwell
From Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)
One of the most popular and recognizable 20th century American artists, Rockwell got his start illustrating advertisements and magazine covers and soon became known for his realistic paintings depicting everyday life in the United States. His work regularly reached a wide audience, who came to look forward to his weekly covers for the Saturday Evening Post. As an artist, Rockwell tried to lead a relatively simple life, using friends and neighbors as the models for his work. His popularity allowed him the freedom to express some of his political ideals, as well, as was perhaps best illustrated by his famous Four Freedoms paintings, and by his portrait of Ruby Bridges accompanied by U.S. Marshalls as she entered her newly integrated school. Gherman’s well-documented biography, which focuses on Rockwell’s work and his enduring popularity, is accompanied by plenty of samples of the artist’s paintings, as well as occasional black-and-white photographs of Rockwell as a boy and as a man. (Ages 8-14)
CCBC Choices 2001. © Cooperative Children's Book Center, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison, 2001. Used with permission.
From the Publisher
He was a pale, skinny boy with thick glasses, but Norman Perceval Rockwell knew that he could draw.
Beverly Gherman shows us how this awkward boy grew up to become a famous illustrator. As a boy, he sketched the characters from Charles Dickens's novels at the kitchen table. And although his mother discouraged him from pursuing a career in art, Norman knew early on that he could not ignore his talent. He dropped out of school at age fourteen to study art and begin the career that would eventually capture the heart of his entire nation.
The experiences of Rockwell's life became part of his paintings: a childhood trip to the country, his son's departure for the Air Force, the fire that destroyed his studio. He also depicted world events and people of his time: Charles Lindbergh's flight across the Atlantic Ocean, the soldiers of World War II, and the children involved in school integration, as well as more intimate American scenes, such as a family dinner or a trip to the doctor's office.
Beverly Gherman paints a colorful and engaging portrait of Norman Rockwell's life, enhanced by full-color reproductions of the artist's own paintings, which tell both his story and their own.
Beverly Gherman shows us how this awkward boy grew up to become a famous illustrator. As a boy, he sketched the characters from Charles Dickens's novels at the kitchen table. And although his mother discouraged him from pursuing a career in art, Norman knew early on that he could not ignore his talent. He dropped out of school at age fourteen to study art and begin the career that would eventually capture the heart of his entire nation.
The experiences of Rockwell's life became part of his paintings: a childhood trip to the country, his son's departure for the Air Force, the fire that destroyed his studio. He also depicted world events and people of his time: Charles Lindbergh's flight across the Atlantic Ocean, the soldiers of World War II, and the children involved in school integration, as well as more intimate American scenes, such as a family dinner or a trip to the doctor's office.
Beverly Gherman paints a colorful and engaging portrait of Norman Rockwell's life, enhanced by full-color reproductions of the artist's own paintings, which tell both his story and their own.
Publisher description retrieved from Google Books.
