Six Women in Art and Music
RSSJohn Peters -- School Library Journal, 03/21/2007
In the arts, as in most other fields, even women with stunning amounts of talent and vision have often had to struggle for the chance to show what they could do. Here are a few of their moving, inspirational stories.
CHAMBERS, Veronica. Celia Cruz, Queen of Salsa. illus. by Julie Maren. Dial. 2005. RTE $15.99. ISBN 978-0-8037-2970-4; pap. $6.99. ISBN 978-0-14-240779-0.
Gr 2-4–This biographical tribute to an icon of Latina music evokes the talent, independence, and inner drive of a woman who helped develop a music style present in today's popular culture. A songbird of the Havana streets, the young Cruz charmed her neighbors with the passion and uniqueness of her voice, which incorporated the sounds of street vendors. "Her father heard thunder. Her cousins heard the call of the sea. Her neighbors heard a hummingbird." The text records her early life in an overcrowded household but also emphasizes her love for learning and her classical training, her devotion to her birth country, and her international fame. Full-page illustrations in bold jewel tones evoke the warmth and swirl of the salsa sound she created. An author's note summarizes Cruz's personal and professional life. Like the sweetness of her voice, this tribute is pure azúcar. It fills a gap in materials for music teachers and is a solid addition for all libraries.–Mary Elam, Forman Elementary School, Plano, TX
FREEDMAN, Russell. The Voice That Challenged a Nation: Marian Anderson and the Struggle for Equal Rights. Clarion. 2004. Tr $18. ISBN 978-0-618-15976-5.
Gr 5-9–In the initial chapter, Freedman movingly and dramatically sets the stage for the performer's historic 1939 Easter concert at the Lincoln Memorial. In less than two pages, he captures the huge crowd's eager anticipation, briefly describes the controversy sparked by the Daughters of the American Revolution's refusal to allow Anderson to appear at Constitution Hall, and mentions the significance of the concert. He leaves readers at the moment when "A profound hush settled over the crowd….she closed her eyes, lifted her head, clasped her hands before her, and began to sing." The author then switches to a chronological account of Anderson's life from her childhood in Philadelphia through her acclaimed U.S. and European concert tours in the 1920s and 1930s. He then gives a fuller account of the famous outdoor concert, which he refers to as a milestone in both musical and civil rights history. Freedman acknowledges that the singer did not set out to be a political activist or a crusader for civil rights. Numerous archival photographs, thorough chapter notes, a selected bibliography of works for both adult and younger readers, and a selected discography of currently available Anderson CDs are included. This inspiring work once again demonstrates Freedman's talent for showing how a person's life is molded by its historical and cultural context. Readers of Pam Muñoz Ryan's When Marian Sang (Scholastic, 2002) will appreciate this lengthier account of Anderson's life, as will all readers of biography, U.S. history, and musical history.–Ginny Gustin, Sonoma County Library System, Santa Rosa, CA
GREENBERG, Jan & Sandra Jordan. Runaway Girl: The Artist Louise Bourgeois. Abrams. 2003. RTE $19.95. ISBN 978-0-8109-4237-0.
Gr 7 Up–To mix a biography of Bourgeois with an explanation of her sculpture, fit in her impact on the artistic community, and remain accessible to students may seem to be an impossible feat, but Greenberg and Jordan have done it. Through solid research and interviews with Bourgeois, the woman's stories and work come to life with poignant clarity. Her childhood years and her relationship with her parents are examined and their effect on her work is clear in the abundant black-and-white and full-color photographs. Bourgeois' place in the art world was sealed in 1969 when she became the first woman sculptor to have a retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art. An explanation of how to view sculpture using Bourgeois' Couple (2001) as an example, an area list of locations where her art is displayed, and lists of the works pictured–one chronological and one by chapter–are included. This superb book is a perfect starting point for research on the artist and 20th-century sculpture.–Delia Fritz, Mercersburg Academy, PA
ORGILL, Roxane. Mahalia: A Life in Gospel Music. Candlewick. 2002. RTE $19.99. ISBN 978-0-7636-1011-1.
Gr 5 Up–A readable, moving portrait of a passionately religious woman devoted to bringing the gospel to audiences around the world through her music. Jackson's remarkably strong impact on her listeners is related in anecdotes such as this one: people began knocking on church doors in New Orleans asking to be baptized just days after her recording of "God Shall Wipe Away All Tears" appeared on tavern jukeboxes in 1938. Rhythmic sentences, sometimes fragments, capture the beat of gospel music and incorporate vernacular African-American speech patterns from the 1920s to the early 1970s. Events in the singer's personal life and musical career are skillfully blended with material about the social climate of the times. Black-and-white photographs of Jackson; people and places in her life; and other aspects of African-American history such as storefront churches, segregated restrooms, and civil rights marches appear throughout the book. An excellent addition for those interested in biography, music, and African-American history.–Ginny Gustin, Sonoma County Library System, Santa Rosa, CA
REICH, Susannah. Clara Schumann: Piano Virtuoso. Clarion. 1999. Tr $18. ISBN 978-0-395-89119-3; pap. $9.95. ISBN 978-0-618-55160-6.
Gr 5-8–A thorough, well-researched, and creatively illustrated biography of a child prodigy. Clara Wieck was born in Leipzig, Germany, in 1819. Her troubled yet accomplished childhood is related in detail, as is her courtship and marriage to composer Robert Schumann, a student of her tyrannical father. Reich gives ample attention to their life together, including their many children, and also writes of Robert's eventual battle with mental illness. The book also offers descriptions of the Schumanns' many friendships with other composers and musicians of the day, including Brahms, Liszt, and Mendelssohn. The rich, full life of this remarkable woman is illuminated by excerpts from letters written by her and those close to her as well as excerpts from her diaries. Black-and-white illustrations include many portraits and photographs of her and her family as well as programs and advertisements from her performances. A fine complement to Barbara Allman's Her Piano Sang (Carolrhoda, 1996), which is for slightly younger readers.–Carol Fazioli, The Brearley School, New York City, NY
WINTER, Jonah. Frida. illus. by Ana Juan. Scholastic/Arthur A. Levine Bks. 2002. RTE $16.95. ISBN 978-0-439-37308-1; pap. $5.99. ISBN 978-0-439-33118-0.
Gr 2-5–This picture-book biography of the Mexican-born artist captures the essence of her difficult life and her triumph as a painter. Written in present tense, the story has immediacy, and the magnificent full-page acrylic illustrations cry out with emotion, as is befitting the work of a passionate artist. Kahlo, often lonely, had an active fantasy life, fueled by her creation of an imaginary friend and her exposure to the work of her artist father. Stricken with polio at age seven, she turned to drawing as her solace; years later when a bus accident nearly claimed her life, art again distracted her. While the simply told yet poignant story is inspiring, the true strength of this book lies in Juan's incredible illustrations. Their brilliant colors and expressionistic style convey the sense of daring and the excitement that Kahlo demonstrated both in her zest for life and in her splendid work. Figures familiar to the artist from Mexican folklore abound and their playfulness as they dance from page to page underscores the woman's artistic spirit. Her story is sure to be an inspiration, particularly to youngsters who see life differently from their peers and who dare to express these differences in artistic ways. A bold, successful attempt at incorporating the feel of the artist's own style into an explanation of her life.–Nancy Menaldi-Scanlan, LaSalle Academy, Providence, RI
John Peters is a Supervising Librarian, Donnell Library Center, New York Public Library
