Review by Booklist Review
It's unusual for the subjects of an arts biography to illustrate the story of their own lives, but that's only one of the elements that set this compelling picture book apart. The Zhou brothers, critically acclaimed contemporary artists known for their large-scale, abstract works, began their lives in the People's Republic of China under the oppressive atmosphere of the Cultural Revolution. Shaoli (who now goes by ShanZuo), the oldest, loved hearing stories in his grandmother's bookstore, and after his younger brother, Shaoning (now known as DaHuang) was born, the pair played and painted--and fought, as brothers sometimes do. Alznauer homes in on that fighting, as it becomes a key part of their unique collaborative process. Also key to their art is the crushing effects of the Cultural Revolution, which drove their family from their home and drastically censored the art they could make while living in China. Exploring traditional cliff paintings of their province, though, inspired the work they were finally allowed to share, and those figures still appear in their current pieces. Renditions of those prehistoric figures appear scattered all over the Zhou brothers' watercolor-and-ink illustrations, dancing around landscapes and animating images of canvases in-process. Picture-book biographies of contemporary artists are rare, and this one, which examines not only inspiration and artistic growth but the specific political reality of censorship facing many Chinese contemporary artists, thoughtfully and accessibly explores this timely topic.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In folktale cadence, Alznauer traces the story of two brothers, Shaoli and Shaoning, who struggle to create lives for themselves as artists in "the new People's Republic of China," which "did not appreciate the high spirits of people who ran their own stores and made their own art." Guided by the words of their grandmother-- "to become an artist... you must possess the highest spirit"--the brothers struggle through loss and separation, acquiring training, drawing inspiration from Chinese cliff paintings, and learning to work together: "Each canvas was a battle of paint that transformed what was once two into a single dance, what was old into something new, and what was terrible into something beautiful." An afterword explains how the tale simplifies the life stories of the Zhou Brothers, whose loose-lined, colorful pictures, influenced by both traditional Chinese style and modern sensibilities, depict their own journey. An intimate, inspiring introduction to two contemporary Chinese artists, and a moving reminder of creative work's power. Ages 5--9. (Sept.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 4--The transformative power of art takes center stage in this picture book biography loosely based on the lives of internationally acclaimed artists and brothers ShanZuo and DaHuang Zhou. Born in the 1950s in the People's Republic of China, the brothers (then known as Shaoli and Shaoning) came of age during the Cultural Revolution. After their father was forced into a labor camp and their mother was imprisoned by the government, the brothers were raised by their grandmother, Po Po, who was a bookseller. They painted and heard stories about the cliff paintings of Huashan; as they grew older, the cliff paintings and stories influenced their work. After Po Po died, the brothers began to paint a mural together on the walls of their family bookstore and embarked on an artistic partnership that still exists today. The idea that beauty cannot exist without ugliness is echoed throughout the text. The strength of this book lies in the autobiographical artwork rendered by the brothers. Representation of their artwork over the span of their career mirrors their growth as artists while also providing a sample of their work. Author and illustrator's notes are included. VERDICT A fascinating introduction to two contemporary artists who battled adversity and hardships to pursue the higher calling of creative expression. Purchase for large collections where picture book biographies are in demand.--Jennifer Knight, North Olympic Lib. Syst., Port Angeles, WA
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Review by Horn Book Review
Alznauer (The Boy Who Dreamed of Infinity, rev. 3/20) has written an impressionistic picture-book biography illustrated by the book's subjects, contemporary painters the Zhou brothers. Born just after the onset of the People's Republic of China, the brothers (then known as Shaoli and Shaoning) learned at an early age that "the world is a beautiful and terrible place." Their parents were detained by the government, and their beloved grandmother, Po Po, closed the family bookstore after multiple raids and book burnings. Battling adversity, from poverty to art-school rejection to their own contentious working relationship, the brothers sought inspiration from ancient Huashan cliff paintings. Creatively renewed, they continued to work together on the same canvases and eventually gained recognition for their expressive art. Relocating to Chicago, the brothers still continue to produce art and (per the appended author's note) "share their story to give other artists, even very young artists, the courage to struggle through their own mix of love and trouble until a new magic is born." Alznauer's engaging text moves briskly, focusing primarily on the brothers' relationship (if providing little context for the Cultural Revolution). Readers will be captivated by the book's artful design and vivid ink and watercolor illustrations that seamlessly move between intimate family portraits and expansive, expressionistic double-page landscapes. A unique biography that conveys the scope and importance of the subjects' work through original illustrations by the artists themselves. Patrick Gall September/October 2020 p.109(c) Copyright 2020. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A picture-book biography chronicling the artistic and personal journey of the Zhou brothers. First came Shaoli, and then Shaoning arrived soon after. Together, the Zhou brothers loved to run in the garden and to sit close. And together, the brothers discovered art, "copy[ing] bamboo and plum blossoms with brushes and ink." Growing up in their family-run bookstore, they listened to grandmother Po Po's "stories of paintings that once flew through the air"; she encouraged them to "possess the highest of spirits" in the pursuit of becoming artists. But not everyone encouraged art-making--or owning bookstores. Through the years, they'd learn that the terrible and the beautiful could go hand in hand. Circumstance would separate the brothers, but always they would find a way to reunite. Eventually, an artistic collaboration sparked, and together they'd paint--and fight--on canvas to create "paintings that would fly free" as they always dreamed. Recurring narrative elements and refrains alongside Alznauer's rhythmic prose evoke the kinds of tales Po Po would share with the brothers. Through the vibrant ink-and-watercolor paintings by the subjects themselves, readers are immersed in the bold artistic style and spirit of the Zhou brothers. Alznauer's author's note further discusses the Zhou brothers' career as well as elisions and compression made for the sake of narrative clarity. This engaging biography will comfort and inspire. (Picture book/biography. 5-9) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
