A Prairie Boy's Summer (Paperback)

by William Kurelek (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review
?The book walks the straight furrow between sentimentality of nostalgia and the brutalizing of sweated labor.?
?New York Times Book Review -- Review

Review
“The book walks the straight furrow between sentimentality of nostalgia and the brutalizing of sweated labor.”
–New York Times Book Review

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Paperback: 48 pages
• Publisher: Tundra Books (June 1, 1975)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 088776116X
• ISBN-13: 978-0887761164
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 8.5 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,140,584 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #2 in	Books > Children's Books > Authors & Illustrators, A-Z > ( K ) > Kurelek, William
  #75 in	Books > Children's Books > Educational > Explore the World > Canada
  #93 in	Books > Children's Books > History & Historical Fiction > Canada

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars PICTORIAL VIGNETTES OF THE CANADIAN PRAIRIE, April 25, 1998

By	Plume45 "kitka12345" (Westchester, NY) - See all my reviews

It only takes 30 minutes to read this charming book of 20 pictures, with text on the opposite page, but do yourself a favor and savor it longer. Don't expect any plot, theme or character development, yet this gem charms by its honest simplicity, as it celebrates a by-gone era of farming on the Canadian prairie.

The famous Canadian author/illustrator has captured the flavor of carefree, rural childhood in the 1930's and preserved it for future generations to discover and enjoy. Kurelek treats each topic with quiet dignity: chores, games, weather, special occasions, and adult life as viewed by irrepressible children. Both text and illustrations are rich in detail. This volume is a companion to his "A PRAIRIE BOY'S WINTER," one of the New York Times' Best Illustrated books of 1973. A relaxing read for those who want to escape the hurried 90's and nestle into a time of agrarian innocence.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Award-winning classic children's book sure to capture the interest and hearts of all readers--and, not only on summer days!, July 23, 2008

By	Mandrivnyk (Arlington Heights, IL, USA) - See all my reviews

A Prairie Boy's Summer has garnered numerous awards since its publication in 1975: A New York Times Outstanding Book of the Year, 1975; A Children's Book Council Showcase Book Award, 1976; Canadian Association of Children's Librarians, Best Illustrated Book, 1976; IODE Book of the Year, 1976; and, also in 1976, the Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Illustrator's Award.

The original paintings of A Prairie Boy's Summer are on extended loan to the Art Gallery of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada, from the collections of Hiram Walker & Sons Ltd., Walkersville, Ontario, Canada.

Support for the publication of this children's book was received from the Canada Council for the Arts. Financial support was received from the Government of Canada through the Book Publishing Industry Development Program.

William Kurelek (1927-1977) was a Canadian realist artist (landscape painter and highly regarded illustrator of children's books) and writer--the eldest of seven children born to Ukrainian immigrant parents in Alberta, Canada.

He received an arts degree from the University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, in 1949; studied at the Ontario College of Art; and, at the Instituto Allende in Mexico. In the 1950s, he lived in England, and from 1956 to 1958 had paintings in the Royal Academy Summer Exhibitions.

His art and writings were influenced by his Ukrainian-Canadian roots, his childhood on the prairies, and his Roman Catholic religion (he converted from Ukrainian Orthodox in 1957). Since religion was a very real, important part of his life and a source of inspiration for his works, many of his paintings have titles with quotes from Biblical scriptures, and even his initial "W" on his artwork shows a cross.

In 1976, he was made a Member of the Order of Canada. When he died a year later, he was Canada's best-known painter. His four children's books received
22 major national and international awards. By the time of his death, Kurelek had produced over 2,000 paintings.

His books have been published in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, Austria, Denmark, Finland, Holland and Greenland.

Tundra published two additional books since his death: Fox Mykyta, a Ukrainian folk tale, which he illustrated with 72 drawings; and, The Polish Canadians, his series of paintings of the early struggles and courage of that immigrant group. His desire was to paint the history of all of Canada's varied peoples, but he only succeeded in leaving his vision of the Inuit, Poles, French-Canadians, Irish, and Ukrainians, as well as of Christians and Jews. The rock band Van Halen used parts of his painting The Maze (1953) on the cover of their 1981 album, Fair Warning. The Maze is available through libraries.

The National Film Board of Canada has put out a video, Kurelek, which is ten minutes in length and touches on the artist/writer's life.

Currently in the making is a feature-length documentary film, `William Kurelek: The People's Painter.' It has received initial funding from Bravo Television and the Canadian Television Fund for research and development. Jean Kurelek, the artist's widow, and her family and Av Isaacs, Kurelek's art dealer, gives support for the Kurelek film project. Completion should be in early 2010. Award-winning Ukrainian-Canadian director Halya Kuchmij who has thirty years' experience at the CBC and the National Film Board, has won over 50 awards nationally and internationally. For a more detailed description of the film and Halya Kuchmij, please read the July 13, 2008 issue of The Ukrainian Weekly.

Kurelek's stories and artwork are based on real-life experiences--he grew up on a grain farm in Alberta and on a dairy farm in Manitoba. The main character in A Prairie Boy's Summer is named William (as is he); the stories narrated are also a repertoire from his past, making the book autobiographical in a real sense.

Each of the twenty vignettes ("his writing was always tied to his art") relates a unique summer's story of life on a farm on the Canadian prairie as experienced by twelve-year old William, and is colorfully illustrated on the facing page.

The opening vignette introduces the end of the school year, which is the beginning of summer. As we greet summer's entrance, we're exposed to William's sundry chores, games, and daily encounters. Join him on his school's quest to win The Shield; learn whether William preferred to play baseball or softball; savor lunch menus and meal preferences; accompany William on the last day of school, known as Field Day; see William's cat, Kitka (the Ukrainian word for cat), get dive-bombed by swallows; let William explain killdeers; encounter a `devil's wedding' (a Ukrainian name); learn how to make hay; cultivate corn; milk a cow; and, accompany William on other adventures throughout the ensuing months. Soon, summer would end, and "a sure sign that autumn was taking over" was threshing time. William shares his twelfth summer in a personal, poignant way--as a father might, passing on his childhood recollections to his kids. Relive summer's 1930s history on Canada's prairie as seen through the thoughts and eyes of a special, sensitive young artist, William.

A five-star recommendation for a classic children's book sure to be reread and enjoyed often by both children and adults!

P. S. Readers, you're invited to view 152 images (photos) of Ukraine taken by me and posted on Amazon.co.uk (the 2003 edition of Borderland: A Journey Through the History of Ukraine by Anna Reid). I actually took thousands of photos, but this sample will give you an idea of Ukraine and her people.

Although there are more (179 total) photos on Amazon.com, the quality of the photos is bad-many of them show specs. My photos do not have specs. There is something wrong with Amazon.com's software. The photos on Amazon.co.uk are better quality (without specs).