Let’s explore two more fascinating biographies for children nominated for Cybils awards.
Appropriate for Veterans Day, the middle grade title Maya Lin: Thinking With Her Hands by Susan Goldman Rubin discusses the life of the designer of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
In addition to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, architect Maya Lin has gone on to shape many more breathtaking buildings and outdoor spaces. Abundant color photographs reveal Lin’s story and her projects, like a gorgeous two-page spread of the Storm King Wavefield covered with snow (see). The images give the book a vibrant, modern feel. They also make you want to go visit all the places she’s created.
Do you know a budding architect or artist? Get Maya Lin: Thinking With Her Hands into their hands right now!
In contrast, the picture book Ruth Asawa: A Sculpting Life by Joan Schoettler and illustrated by Tracie Van Wagoner is quietly inspiring.
Ruth Asawa’s story could have been made into at least two books. She started out life as Aiko Asawa from Southern California. She was given the Americanized first name Ruth when she went to school. A short time later World War II started, and she and her family were taken to one of the Japanese internment camps. While inside, Ruth studied art and spent her free time creating. If the author had chosen, this could have been an entire story of its own.
But there was more to Ruth. Once she was released, she used her experiences to create astonishing looped-wire sculptures and later on, public fountains. She became a renowned sculptor.
Ruth Asawa: A Sculpting Life will captivate readers interested in history and those who enjoy art. It is a perfect choice for women’s history month, too.
See a more extensive review and activity suggestions at Wrapped in Foil blog.
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