Grant Wood believed that to be a real artist, he had to live in Paris. But once he got there, he realized that to be a great painter he needed to return to the people and places—and even animals—that he knew and loved the best.
Inspired by the life of artist Grant Wood, this is the sensitively imagined story of the great American painter and a cow named Tillie. Skillfully mixing fact with fiction, Monica Kulling’s text explores the making of an artist, while Sydney Smith’s illustrations echo Grant Wood’s own techniques. The result is a gently wise picture book that will encourage young readers and artists to trust the love that is sometimes only found close to home.
Includes an author’s note that provides biographical information about Grant Wood.
Grant Wood believed that to be a real artist, he had to live in Paris. But once he got there, he realized that to be a great painter he needed to return to the people and places—and even animals—that he knew and loved the best.
Inspired by the life of artist Grant Wood, this is the sensitively imagined story of the great American painter and a cow named Tillie. Skillfully mixing fact with fiction, Monica Kulling’s text explores the making of an artist, while Sydney Smith’s illustrations echo Grant Wood’s own techniques. The result is a gently wise picture book that will encourage young readers and artists to trust the love that is sometimes only found close to home.
Includes an author’s note that provides biographical information about Grant Wood.
| Published By | Groundwood Books Ltd — Jul 25, 2015 |
| Specifications | 32 pages | 10.25 in x 8.125 in |
| Keywords | Grant Wood; Historical; Biography; Paris; Nature; inspiration; American Gothic; Painting; Art; Books about Painting; Inspire; Animals; Cows; France; Childrens books; Kids Books; Educational; Books about History; Learning; Iowa; America; US; Follow your dreams; do what you want; illustrations; Be Yourself; Home; Farms; Living on a Farm; Friendships; Picture Books; |
|
Supporting Resources
(select item to download) |
Teacher's Guide Guide |
| Written By |
MONICA KULLING iis the author of more than sixty books for children, including Aunt Pearl, illustrated by Irene Luxbacher; and Ruby’s Hope: A Story of How the Famous “Migrant Mother” Photograph Became the Face of the Great Depression, illustrated by Sarah Dvojak. She has written the popular Great Idea series, and her work has been nominated for many awards, including numerous Silver Birch Express and Golden Oak awards and the Norma Fleck Award for Canadian Children’s Non-Fiction. She lives in Toronto, Ontario. |
| Illustrated by |
SYDNEY SMITH is the creator of Small in the City, which received the Kate Greenaway Medal and the Ezra Jack Keats Award. Other books he has illustrated include The White Cat and the Monk by Jo Ellen Bogart; Sidewalk Flowers by JonArno Lawson; and Town Is by the Sea by Joanne Schwartz, which received the Kate Greenaway Medal. His other accolades include two Governor General’s Awards and four New York Times Best Illustrated Book of the Year citations. He is also the illustrator of I Talk Like a River by Jordan Scott, which received the Schneider Family Book Award and the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award, and My Baba’s Garden, also written by Jordan Scott. Sydney lives with his family in Halifax, Nova Scotia. |
| Written By |
|
MONICA KULLING iis the author of more than sixty books for children, including Aunt Pearl, illustrated by Irene Luxbacher; and Ruby’s Hope: A Story of How the Famous “Migrant Mother” Photograph Became the Face of the Great Depression, illustrated by Sarah Dvojak. She has written the popular Great Idea series, and her work has been nominated for many awards, including numerous Silver Birch Express and Golden Oak awards and the Norma Fleck Award for Canadian Children’s Non-Fiction. She lives in Toronto, Ontario. |
| Illustrated by |
|
SYDNEY SMITH is the creator of Small in the City, which received the Kate Greenaway Medal and the Ezra Jack Keats Award. Other books he has illustrated include The White Cat and the Monk by Jo Ellen Bogart; Sidewalk Flowers by JonArno Lawson; and Town Is by the Sea by Joanne Schwartz, which received the Kate Greenaway Medal. His other accolades include two Governor General’s Awards and four New York Times Best Illustrated Book of the Year citations. He is also the illustrator of I Talk Like a River by Jordan Scott, which received the Schneider Family Book Award and the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award, and My Baba’s Garden, also written by Jordan Scott. Sydney lives with his family in Halifax, Nova Scotia. |
| Audience | ages 4 to 8 / grades K to 3 |
| Reading Levels |
Lexile AD650L
Guided Reading O |
Commended, CCBC Best Books for Children and Teens, 2016
“This fanciful story represents the power of friendship and the role of the familiar in the creative process.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Using watercolours, ink, and a toothbrush, illustrator Sydney Smith mimics Grant’s style, bringing Kulling’s story of friendship, home, and ambition to life with an understated softness.” —National Post
“One of the best children's books written on the story of painting. Highly recommended.” —CM Magazine
“The tender message to draw inspiration from the things you love still holds true in this mixture of fact and fiction.” —School Library Journal
“A heartfelt, visually pleasing, and informative read inspired by an artist’s love for his home.” —Booklist Online