Reviews
Ballet for Martha : *"[a] remarkable book." - Horn Book Review, starred review *"The book as a whole beautifully captures the process of artistic creation_ what readers will surely want after putting this down is to see and hear Appalachian Spring for themselves." - Booklist, starred review *"A stunning achievement." - Kirkus, starred review *"Capturing the drama of dance, music, and stage design in a two-dimensional format is no easy feat, but this team does it with a noteworthy grace of their own." - Publishers Weekly, starred review "If Martha Graham's choreography for 'Appalachian Spring' was a 'valentine" to the world, as critics wrote in 1944, then this book is a love letter in return." - School Library Journal, starred review Action Jackson : *"Greenberg and Jordan offer another remarkable book_ the text is accessible enough for younger readers to appreciate if read aloud and lively enough to appeal to older readers, who just might be inspired to learn more about the artist." - School Library Journal , starred review *"Art history specialists Greenberg and Jordan (Boston Globe/Horn Book-winning Chuck Close, Up Close , 1998; Sibert Honor-winning Vincent Van Gogh: Portrait of An Artist , 2001) have again pushed the nonfiction envelope with this astonishing biography" - Kirkus , starred review *"Using spare, lyrical words, the authors layer the exciting story with deep observations about what art is, how it is made, and why Pollock was so extraordinary."- Booklist , starred review, Ballet for Martha : *"[a] remarkable book." - Horn Book Review, starred review *"The book as a whole beautifully captures the process of artistic creation... what readers will surely want after putting this down is to see and hear Appalachian Spring for themselves." - Booklist, starred review *"A stunning achievement." - Kirkus, starred review *"Capturing the drama of dance, music, and stage design in a two-dimensional format is no easy feat, but this team does it with a noteworthy grace of their own." - Publishers Weekly, starred review "If Martha Graham's choreography for 'Appalachian Spring' was a 'valentine" to the world, as critics wrote in 1944, then this book is a love letter in return." - School Library Journal, starred review Action Jackson : *"Greenberg and Jordan offer another remarkable book... the text is accessible enough for younger readers to appreciate if read aloud and lively enough to appeal to older readers, who just might be inspired to learn more about the artist." - School Library Journal , starred review *"Art history specialists Greenberg and Jordan (Boston Globe/Horn Book-winning Chuck Close, Up Close , 1998; Sibert Honor-winning Vincent Van Gogh: Portrait of An Artist , 2001) have again pushed the nonfiction envelope with this astonishing biography" - Kirkus , starred review *"Using spare, lyrical words, the authors layer the exciting story with deep observations about what art is, how it is made, and why Pollock was so extraordinary."- Booklist , starred review, From The Wall Street Journal : Eccentricity may sometimes be a taxing quality in real life, but on the page it is an easy source of delight. The flamboyant 19th-century Mississippi artisan George E. Ohr took pride in his peculiarity, calling himself a "rankey krankey solid individualist." Born several years before the Civil War, the man who would become posthumously famous for creating dazzlingly imaginative vases, bowls and teapots worked in an atmosphere of deprecation in his own era. Ohr's bittersweet story leaps from the nonfiction pages of Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan's "The Mad Potter: George E. Ohr, Eccentric Genius" (Roaring Brook, 56 pages, $17.99) . We meet George as a boy, the black sheep of his family in the Gulf Coast town of Biloxi. At 22, however, he discovered his vocation: "When I found the potter's wheel I felt it all over like a duck in water," he wrote later. Soon Ohr was turning out bizarre and wonderful wares: ruffled vases, undulating pitchers and curious shining pots that seem to wave or twirl in the light. Despite George's showmanship-he bragged prodigiously and wore his mustaches curled around his ears-neither he nor his work was much valued until 50 years after his death. This appealing account is full of strangely endearing photographs, including one of the mad potter tucking his fists behind his crossed arms to show off his biceps. "...will certainly prod them to ask themselves if they're really living life to the fullest."-- Publishers Weekly *"The authors do an excellent job describing this larger-than-life character through quotes and plentiful color photos of his pottery, or "mud babies" as he referred to his creations. Of particular interest are the archival sepia photos, including the two large, double-page images depicting the artist in his barnlike studio with piles and piles of his workand several childrenabout, that open and close the book." -- School Library Journal, starred review "A fascinating introduction to an innovative artist." - Kirkus Reviews *" Unique and beautiful." - Booklist, starred review, "...will certainly prod them to ask themselves if they're really living life to the fullest."-- Publishers Weekly, *"The authors do an excellent job describing this larger-than-life character through quotes and plentiful color photos of his pottery, or "mud babies" as he referred to his creations. Of particular interest are the archival sepia photos, including the two large, double-page images depicting the artist in his barnlike studio with piles and piles of his work-and several children-about, that open and close the book.", From The Wall Street Journal : Eccentricity may sometimes be a taxing quality in real life, but on the page it is an easy source of delight. The flamboyant 19th-century Mississippi artisan George E. Ohr took pride in his peculiarity, calling himself a "rankey krankey solid individualist." Born several years before the Civil War, the man who would become posthumously famous for creating dazzlingly imaginative vases, bowls and teapots worked in an atmosphere of deprecation in his own era. Ohr's bittersweet story leaps from the nonfiction pages of Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan's "The Mad Potter: George E. Ohr, Eccentric Genius" (Roaring Brook, 56 pages, $17.99) . We meet George as a boy, the black sheep of his family in the Gulf Coast town of Biloxi. At 22, however, he discovered his vocation: "When I found the potter's wheel I felt it all over like a duck in water," he wrote later. Soon Ohr was turning out bizarre and wonderful wares: ruffled vases, undulating pitchers and curious shining pots that seem to wave or twirl in the light. Despite George's showmanship-he bragged prodigiously and wore his mustaches curled around his ears-neither he nor his work was much valued until 50 years after his death. This appealing account is full of strangely endearing photographs, including one of the mad potter tucking his fists behind his crossed arms to show off his biceps. "...will certainly prod them to ask themselves if they're really living life to the fullest."-- Publishers Weekly *"The authors do an excellent job describing this larger-than-life character through quotes and plentiful color photos of his pottery, or "mud babies" as he referred to his creations. Of particular interest are the archival sepia photos, including the two large, double-page images depicting the artist in his barnlike studio with piles and piles of his workand several childrenabout, that open and close the book." -- School Library Journal, starred review "A fascinating introduction to an innovative artist worthy of a more effective text." - Kirkus Reviews *" Unique and beautiful." - Booklist, starred review, Eccentricity may sometimes be a taxing quality in real life, but on the page it is an easy source of delight. The flamboyant 19th-century Mississippi artisan George E. Ohr took pride in his peculiarity, calling himself a "rankey krankey solid individualist." Born several years before the Civil War, the man who would become posthumously famous for creating dazzlingly imaginative vases, bowls and teapots worked in an atmosphere of deprecation in his own era. Ohr's bittersweet story leaps from the nonfiction pages of Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan's "The Mad Potter: George E. Ohr, Eccentric Genius" (Roaring Brook, 56 pages, $17.99). We meet George as a boy, the black sheep of his family in the Gulf Coast town of Biloxi. At 22, however, he discovered his vocation: "When I found the potter's wheel I felt it all over like a duck in water," he wrote later. Soon Ohr was turning out bizarre and wonderful wares: ruffled vases, undulating pitchers and curious shining pots that seem to wave or twirl in the light. Despite George's showmanship-he bragged prodigiously and wore his mustaches curled around his ears-neither he nor his work was much valued until 50 years after his death. This appealing account is full of strangely endearing photographs, including one of the mad potter tucking his fists behind his crossed arms to show off his biceps., "...will certainly prod them to ask themselves if they're really living life to the fullest."-- Publishers Weekly *"The authors do an excellent job describing this larger-than-life character through quotes and plentiful color photos of his pottery, or "mud babies" as he referred to his creations. Of particular interest are the archival sepia photos, including the two large, double-page images depicting the artist in his barnlike studio with piles and piles of his workand several childrenabout, that open and close the book." -- School Library Journal, starred review, Eccentricity may sometimes be a taxing quality in real life, but on the page it is an easy source of delight. The flamboyant 19th-century Mississippi artisan George E. Ohr took pride in his peculiarity, calling himself a "rankey krankey solid individualist." Born several years before the Civil War, the man who would become posthumously famous for creating dazzlingly imaginative vases, bowls and teapots worked in an atmosphere of deprecation in his own era. Ohr's bittersweet story leaps from the nonfiction pages of Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan's "The Mad Potter: George E. Ohr, Eccentric Genius" (Roaring Brook, 56 pages, $17.99) ., Ballet for Martha :*"[a] remarkable book." - Horn Book Review, starred review *"The book as a whole beautifully captures the process of artistic creation_ what readers will surely want after putting this down is to see and hear Appalachian Spring for themselves." - Booklist, starred review *"A stunning achievement." - Kirkus, starred review *"Capturing the drama of dance, music, and stage design in a two-dimensional format is no easy feat, but this team does it with a noteworthy grace of their own." - Publishers Weekly, starred review "If Martha Graham's choreography for 'Appalachian Spring' was a 'valentine" to the world, as critics wrote in 1944, then this book is a love letter in return." - School Library Journal, starred review Action Jackson : *"Greenberg and Jordan offer another remarkable book_ the text is accessible enough for younger readers to appreciate if read aloud and lively enough to appeal to older readers, who just might be inspired to learn more about the artist." - School Library Journal , starred review *"Art history specialists Greenberg and Jordan (Boston Globe/Horn Book-winning Chuck Close, Up Close , 1998; Sibert Honor-winning Vincent Van Gogh: Portrait of An Artist , 2001) have again pushed the nonfiction envelope with this astonishing biography" - Kirkus , starred review *"Using spare, lyrical words, the authors layer the exciting story with deep observations about what art is, how it is made, and why Pollock was so extraordinary."- Booklist , starred review, We meet George as a boy, the black sheep of his family in the Gulf Coast town of Biloxi. At 22, however, he discovered his vocation: "When I found the potter's wheel I felt it all over like a duck in water," he wrote later. Soon Ohr was turning out bizarre and wonderful wares: ruffled vases, undulating pitchers and curious shining pots that seem to wave or twirl in the light. Despite George's showmanship--he bragged prodigiously and wore his mustaches curled around his ears, Ballet for Martha :*"[a] remarkable book." - Horn Book Review, starred review *"The book as a whole beautifully captures the process of artistic creation... what readers will surely want after putting this down is to see and hear Appalachian Spring for themselves." - Booklist, starred review *"A stunning achievement." - Kirkus, starred review *"Capturing the drama of dance, music, and stage design in a two-dimensional format is no easy feat, but this team does it with a noteworthy grace of their own." - Publishers Weekly, starred review "If Martha Graham's choreography for 'Appalachian Spring' was a 'valentine" to the world, as critics wrote in 1944, then this book is a love letter in return." - School Library Journal, starred review Action Jackson : *"Greenberg and Jordan offer another remarkable book... the text is accessible enough for younger readers to appreciate if read aloud and lively enough to appeal to older readers, who just might be inspired to learn more about the artist." - School Library Journal , starred review *"Art history specialists Greenberg and Jordan (Boston Globe/Horn Book-winning Chuck Close, Up Close , 1998; Sibert Honor-winning Vincent Van Gogh: Portrait of An Artist , 2001) have again pushed the nonfiction envelope with this astonishing biography" - Kirkus , starred review *"Using spare, lyrical words, the authors layer the exciting story with deep observations about what art is, how it is made, and why Pollock was so extraordinary."- Booklist , starred review, * The authors do an excellent job describing this larger-than-life character through quotes and plentiful color photos of his pottery, or "mud babies" as he referred to his creations. Of particular interest are the archival sepia photos, including the two large, double-page images depicting the artist in his barnlike studio with piles and piles of his work-and several children-about, that open and close the book., "Eccentricity may sometimes be a taxing quality in real life, but on the page it is an easy source of delight. The flamboyant 19th-century Mississippi artisan George E. Ohr took pride in his peculiarity, calling himself a "rankey krankey solid individualist." Born several years before the Civil War, the man who would become posthumously famous for creating dazzlingly imaginative vases, bowls and teapots worked in an atmosphere of deprecation in his own era. Ohr's bittersweet story leaps from the nonfiction pages of Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan's "The Mad Potter: George E. Ohr, Eccentric Genius" (Roaring Brook, 56 pages, $17.99). We meet George as a boy, the black sheep of his family in the Gulf Coast town of Biloxi. At 22, however, he discovered his vocation: "When I found the potter's wheel I felt it all over like a duck in water," he wrote later. Soon Ohr was turning out bizarre and wonderful wares: ruffled vases, undulating pitchers and curious shining pots that seem to wave or twirl in the light. Despite George's showmanship-he bragged prodigiously and wore his mustaches curled around his ears-neither he nor his work was much valued until 50 years after his death. This appealing account is full of strangely endearing photographs, including one of the mad potter tucking his fists behind his crossed arms to show off his biceps." -- The Wall Street Journal "...will certainly prod them to ask themselves if they're really living life to the fullest." -- Publishers Weekly "* The authors do an excellent job describing this larger-than-life character through quotes and plentiful color photos of his pottery, or "mud babies" as he referred to his creations. Of particular interest are the archival sepia photos, including the two large, double-page images depicting the artist in his barnlike studio with piles and piles of his work-and several children-about, that open and close the book." -- School Library Journal, starred review "A fascinating introduction to an innovative artist." -- Kirkus Reviews " * Unique and beautiful." -- Booklist, starred review, "...will certainly prod them to ask themselves if they're really living life to the fullest."-- Publishers Weekly *"The authors do an excellent job describing this larger-than-life character through quotes and plentiful color photos of his pottery, or "mud babies" as he referred to his creations. Of particular interest are the archival sepia photos, including the two large, double-page images depicting the artist in his barnlike studio with piles and piles of his workand several childrenabout, that open and close the book." -- School Library Journal, starred review "A fascinating introduction to an innovative artist worthy of a more effective text." - Kirkus Reviews *" Unique and beautiful." - Booklist, starred review
