From School Library Journal
Gr 8 Up-This clearly laid out book traces the social, political, and cultural events and traditions that have shaped Latino artists and their works. Exploring cultural and religious history as well as the function of identity as expressed in art, four chapters consider in turn the art of the Southwest santeros, Chicanos, Puerto Ricans, and Cuban Americans. Specific artists are singled out and highlighted in sidebars. Their work is analyzed and, when possible, the artists speak for themselves. It is in these first-person "interview" sections that the book most vividly comes to life. Most artists address the formative role of their traditional social milieu and the sense of difference from mainstream Anglo society, noting these as determinative elements in creating their unique styles. Frequent black-and-white illustrations and photographs of the artists extend the pedantic text, as do two sections of color plates. Aimed at an older audience than Harriet Rohmer's Just Like Me (Children's Book Pr., 1997), Latino Visions does much to elucidate the role of heritage in defining a worldview and an artistic response. This is certainly not pleasure reading, but it does provide a sound and comprehensive source of information on several aspects of Latino art.-Ann Welton, Terminal Park Elementary School, Auburn, WA
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Steel's fifty-first novel has all the elements her fans crave--wealthy characters, lavish settings, and an opulent lifestyle. In December of 1974, Kate receives the quintessential dreaded phone call: her husband Joe's plane exploded, and no one survived. She is assailed with memories, beginning with the day they met some 33 years before at a debutante ball. Kate was only 17 but seemed much older as she was accustomed to such settings, while Joe at 29 was uncomfortable and only came at the request of his friend, Charles Lindbergh. Nonetheless, there is an instant rapport between them, and they exchange letters while Kate attends Radcliffe College. They realize that they're falling in love but restrain from commitment when WWII erupts and Joe is sent to England as a flying ace. When Joe comes back to the States to receive a medal, they consummate their love, but Joe is reluctant to get engaged. And so it goes. Joe is obsessed with flying and establishing his airline company, inducing a frustrated Kate to marry someone else, but Joe remains the love of her life and, well, there are no surprises here. It's a typical Steel soap opera that seems, oddly, to take the form of a male fantasy in which the woman is totally subservient to her macho flying man's needs and desires. The reviews in this section cover books for young people from preschool through high school. "Older Readers" encompasses the junior-high and high-school ages; "Middle Readers," grades three to six (and first chapter books for younger readers); and "the Young," preschool through grade two. Grade levels are used to indicate books that children can read themselves, age levels to indicate a recommendation for a picture book to be read aloud. Adult books with YA appeal or use are recommended in the adult books and Upfront sections and are marked with a ^BYA symbol that is followed by brief comments from our professional YA reviewers.Gr. 7-12. Politics and the struggle for human rights are an integral part of this Latino art history. Whether Cockcroft is talking about the rediscovery of traditional Indian art, the community murals on city streets, or the culture of living on the border, "uprooted yet putting down roots," he makes you value "people's art," to be viewed not in imposing museums but as part of public life. At the same time, he does talk about individual Latino artists--one chapter each on Chicanos, Puerto Ricans, and Cuban Americans--with stirring detail about their images of beauty, magic, humor, family love, spiritual faith, and social commitment. It makes you want to see the individual works. Two inserts of full-color plates provide just a taste of the visual; there are also prints in black and white and several short, boxed biographies of leading artists. Chapter notes, bibliographies, and a list of online sites will help those who want to see more.
Hazel RochmanCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
