Jake Makes a World: Jacob Lawrence, a Young Artist in Harlem

Description

Jacob Lawrence Makes a World follows the creative adventures of the young artist as he finds inspiration in the vibrant colours and characters of his community in Harlem. From his mother's apartment, where he is surrounded by brightly coloured walls with intricate patterns, to the streets full of familiar and not-so-familiar faces, sounds, rhythms and smells, to the art studio where he goes each day after school to transform his everyday world on an epic scale, Jacob takes readers on an enchanting journey through the bustling sights and sounds of his neighborhood. This vividly illustrated book about the artist Jacob Lawrence (1917- 2000) and his childhood in New York during the Harlem Renaissance is full of colourful street scenes that evoke the rich African-American culture and community captured by Lawrence in his landmark Migration series.

Sharifa Rhodes-Pitts is an award-winning writer and historian whose work has appeared in the New York Times, Harper's, Vogue, and Essence, among other publications. Originally from Houston, she graduated from Harvard and was a Fulbright Scholar. She lives in New York City. Christopher Myers is an award-winning author and illustrator of children's books, notably Harlem and Black Cat, which won the Coretta Scott King Award. He lives in New York City.

"Vibrant hues and diagonal elements animate the straightforward accounts of street-corner preachers and checkers players... this is a dynamic and creative introduction to a groundbreaking artist and an iconic collection."-- "Kirkus" **STARRED REVIEW** "...Rhodes-Pitts has written a clear, simple tale, told in present tense and filled with colorful imagery. Myers's art has a looser, sketchier quality than Lawrence's more graceful figures, but both artists demonstrate a passion for vibrant, eye-popping colors that powerfully capture the African American experience... VERDICT Creative youngsters may be motivated to craft works about their own neighborhoods."-- "School Library Journal" STARRED REVIEW "... illustrator Myers has captured the vibrant energy, bold hues, and expressionist shapes of Lawrence's work. Rhodes-Pitts, meanwhile contributes colorful, energetic text... When an acclaimed author-illustrator team collaborate on a subject who is getting his due at a major museum, you're going to see heightened awareness and interest."-- "Booklist"