Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
I am Marc Chagall
Picture Book
For ages 7 to 10
Eerdmans, 2006 ISBN: 978-0802853059
In 1887, Marc Chagall was born in a small Russian town called Vitebsk. His father was a shop assistant who wanted his son to be able to get a good job when he grew up. Marc was sent to several schools to get an education, but the only subjects he liked were geometry and art. Over time, Marc came to the realization that he wanted to be an artist more than anything else.
Marc went to art school but he did not enjoy creating the kind of pictures that his teachers required of him. Instead, he wanted to "paint memories from home." He liked to use colors in new ways, and many people did not know what to think when they saw his flying goats and his green cows. Marc studied art in St. Petersburg and Paris, and in Paris he finally met people who liked and appreciated his art.
In this lyrical picture book, the author gives her readers a picture of what Marc Chagall was like as a person. She tells the story from Marc's point of view and readers will find out what he thought of his world and what his hopes and dreams were.
To compliment the text – which is based on Marc Chagall's autobiography - the author has created some unique multimedia collages that are full of interesting three-dimensional effects, colors, and textures.
