Talking with Artists

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Cummings, Pat. 1992. Talking with artists. New York: Bradbury Press. ISBN 0027242455. Reading level: Ages 9-12

PLOT SUMMARY
If your child wants to be an illustrator, or wonders what illustrators do, this book is a good guide for you to use. It can also be a comprehensive source of illustration jobs. This book is compiled and edited by Pat Cummings who is an illustrator and author of some popular picture books such as ‘My Mama Needs Me by Mildred Pitts Walter.’ The story includes fourteen well known illustrators such as Lois Ehlert, Steven Kellog, and Chris Van Allsburg.
It starts with their personal background in a piece titled ‘My stories’. Here we become familiar with the illustrator’s childhood and how they got into art, their family story, what was their motivation to become an illustrator, and with someone who influenced their life, etc. Eight questions are asked of each illustrator and include ‘Where do you get your ideas from?’
‘What is a normal day like for you?’ ‘Where do you work?’ ‘Do you have any children? Any pets?’ ‘What do you enjoy drawing the most?’ ‘Do you ever put people you know in your pictures?’ ‘What do you use to make your picture?’ And ‘How did you get to do your first book?’ Cummings points out that these questions are frequently asked by young students.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The sentences are so simple and clear that they make the book easy to read, and so detailed that reading the book feels like a ‘real conversation’ with the illustrators. Reading the personal stories of each illustrator is interesting, and the photos and artworks from their childhood and adulthood make this book inspiring and engaging for young readers. Most of the questions are related to their art, but some questions such as ‘What is a normal day like for you?’ and ‘Do you have any children? Any pets?’ are very personal and make readers feel closer to the illustrators. The book has a glossary for art medium and terms, and more detailed information about artwork included in this book is provided in the ‘acknowledgments’ section.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
Booklist
"Beautifully designed to draw readers, this book will inspire many children to make art and possibly even to choose it as a career some day. A fine addition to a beautiful and absorbing series."

The Horn Book
"Although similar in format and organization, the books in this remarkable series are not simply carbon copies of one another. The introductions alone, succinct and provocative, demonstrate the ways in which the compiler gives added dimension to her project: Volume One presented the idea of illustration as a profession; Volume Two touted the value both of practicing old techniques and trying new ones; Volume Three introduces the concept of illustration as a means of communication. . . . Informative, enjoyable, and inspirational."

CONNECTIONS
*Activity
Let the children select their favorite artist and gather some artwork or information about this artist in the library or on the internet.
*Other related books for illustrator job.
Preller, James. The Big Book of Picture-Book Authors & Illustrators. ISBN 0439201543
Christelow, Eileen. What Do Illustrators Do? ISBN 0395902304