The sunflowers Vincent Van Gogh's search for beauty

This inspiring, age-appropriate biography of Van Gogh focuses on how the artist persisted in painting sunflowers at a time when most people regarded them as garish and rustic. Dates aren't given in the text, but the period showcased is roughly 1886--88, when Van Gogh struggled in Paris and then blossomed into his most productive period after he moved to Arles. We first see a sad-looking Van Gogh living in a cramped room in a city of blues and grays, but as his world expands, he changes. He starts going to cafés and exhibits and makes artist friends, including Paul Gauguin. In 1888, Van Gogh moves to Arles, where he paints the starry night sky, wheat fields, the sea, and, of course, a host of sunflowers. The illustrations, created with watercolors and ink, pens, and pencils, show how Van Gogh's world grows brighter by infiltrating pops of yellow, green, pink, and violet into Paris scenes and then by showing him in sun-drenched Arles, happily carrying canvases and paints with his friend Gauguin into the countryside. Renditions of some of Van Gogh's paintings, including The Bedroom in Arles and Starry Night, subtly introduce young readers to his work. This also carries a strong message about the importance of friendship and persistence.

Gr 1--4--From the gray streets of Paris to sunny Arles in France, this slice-of-life story about Vincent van Gogh and his beloved sunflower paintings is a delightful glimpse into the artist's life. When van Gogh met fellow artist Paul Gaugin in Paris, the two very much admired each other's work and decided to travel together to a sunnier location to live and paint. Van Gogh spent time alone in Arles, writing letters, experimenting with different colors, making painting after painting, enjoying a period of happiness, while he listened closely to his troubled heart. Rich descriptive language ("It was like speaking poetry just by arranging colors") accompanies dreamy and delicate illustrations in watercolor, ink, pen, and pencil. Soft yellows, blues, and greens mimic van Gogh's own palette. One spread shows the two artists surrounded by color wheels. Readers familiar with van Gogh's work will enjoy finding references to some of his other famous subjects, such as wheat fields, the yellow house, and a starry sky. Includes an author's note. VERDICT A lovely addition to more traditional biographies of van Gogh, with particular appeal to younger readers. This will inspire discussion, and perhaps an art lesson or two.--Sue Morgan

Weary of city life, Vincent van Gogh retreats to the country to paint vibrant images of nature while waiting for fellow artist Paul Gauguin to join him. "Refined" Paris regards Van Gogh's cherished sunflower paintings as "inelegant." After meeting Gauguin, an artist who's equally committed to vivid hues and floral motifs, Van Gogh departs for the famed "yellow house," where he's inspired to paint "brighter and more colorful" art. He waits for Gauguin's eventual arrival; the book culminates in a lush image of the two friends trekking through a golden Van Gogh--esque wheat field. The narrative contains enough information, explanation, and artistic examples to serve as a satisfying introduction to the painter for younger readers, but, as Marwan makes clear in an affectionate author's note, the heart of the book is Van Gogh's waiting and preparing for Gauguin's arrival. Readers may not be as invested. The relationship between the artists feels underdeveloped, which weakens the anticipation, and the many pages devoted to waiting drag. Within the short, sincere narrative, poignant paragraphs describe colorful canvases. Yet some generic lines of text feel like filler. Marwan's illustrations, rendered in watercolor, ink, pen, and pencil, are also unbalanced. An image of the two artists ensconced in a color wheel is brilliantly designed, as are bold, sumptuous sunflower homages. Other spreads feel curiously washed out and insubstantial. An earnest but uneven account of an artist whose talent blossomed like his beloved sunflowers.(Informational picture book. 4-9) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.