Through Georgia's Eyes
Grade 1-4–OKeeffes visual voice was unique and bold for a woman born in 1887. Rodríguez gently tells this inspirational artists story, not with hard facts on a rigid time line, but with quiet simplicity. The book begins with her childhood in Wisconsin and art school, then moves on to the canyons of the city and finally out to the expanses of Ghost Ranch in New Mexico. The influence of place on OKeeffe is evident in the brief text. Using short, strong sentences and phrases, the author emphasizes the artists creative force. Paschkis extends the words with the visual simplicity of colorful, cut-paper collages. These beautiful works capture the artists style and the essence of specific works. Readers will feel the openness of Wisconsins rolling prairie as well as the confines of art-school rooms and city canyons. The bold shapes of flowers, skulls, and mountains successfully bring the renowned artists influence into this picture book. The clarity of text and illustrations gives it potential for group enjoyment and individual inspiration. A closing page offers several additional paragraphs on the womans life.–Carolyn Janssen, Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, OHCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.