Posted by Casey on Friday, Dec 22, 2017
Maya Lin: Artist-Architect of Light and Lines is one of the most successful picture book biographies that I have seen to date. Not only is the text fantastic, illuminating Lin's childhood experiences and passion for art and the earth, but Dow Phumiruk's illustrations soar. This is her debut picture book and it is simply stunning. Phumiruk's use of a soft color palette, crisp edges and incredible perspective along with Harvey's succinct blocks of text mirrors Lin's minimalist nature inspired structures. Phumiruk also utilizes large negative space inviting readers to approach Lin's life and work with the same quiet introspection inspired by Lin's art. Overall this nonfiction title is wonderfully accessible and is a beautiful tribute to one of the most influential modern artist-architects.
I love books that play with book structure, and this one features a cute dog! The innovative formatting of this title makes for a spectacular lap-sit or storytime read. Pair with Tabor's Mell Fell or Suzy Lee's Wave series for a fun book-gutter-themed storytime. -Casey