Self-Portrait, Trina Schart Hyman (Self-portrait collection) (Hardcover)

~ Trina Schart Hyman (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

A well-known illustrator of children's books discusses her life and art.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Hardcover
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers (September 1981)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0201093081
• ISBN-13: 978-0201093087
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 8.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,015,427 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating Bio of the Illustrator/Author, September 23, 2000

By	"phoebe915" (Cambridge, MA United States) - See all my reviews

Written for young people, this beautifully illustrated brief telling of Trina Hyman's life story will be especially interesting to young artists. Her depiction of the natural world around her is breath-taking. The book tells of the joys and difficulties of a girl who is only interested in drawing and painting as she is growing up. Naturally she does poorly in school, at least until she goes to Art school instead of college. Suddenly she is immersed in a world where everyone else shares her passion.

Eventually she marries, has a child, gradually gets more and more work illustrating books (and writing a number herself), makes many friends, buys a farm in New England, and becomes famous.

In my opinion Hyman is either the best or as good as the best children's book illustrator there is. E.g. Canterbury Tales (for chilren), Saint George and the Dragon, Snow White, Caddie Woodlawn, A Room Full of Windows, etc. etc. Her selection of books to illustrate is impeccable. Check some of them out of your local public library and you will see what I mean. The details in her pictures are so interesting and beautiful, and in such perfect synchrony with the story and its mood, often enhancing the story; the effect is magical.

In the case of this book, the text is brief, but the pictures tell you a lot more about her life than the words. Lovely.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A truly charming book, October 5, 2004

By	Book Worm (Los Angeles, California) - See all my reviews

What a charming glimpse of Trina Schart Hyman's life. I am so thankful to have a copy of this book on my coffee table -- Trina speaks of her life with such candor and a hint of nostalgia. Her drawings are truly a gem -- you can sense the energy and honesty of her drawings.

What impresses me about Trina is that she managed to have a successful artist's life inspite of several setbacks. She speaks about some personal issues like her divorce and raising her child alone with so much dignity.

Her life story and her magnificent drawings are more than enough to convince me to buy the book -- and I am SO glad I did.

0 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Thank you for being a dreamer, December 24, 2001

By	Beverly C. Sanders (USA, Baltimore, MD) - See all my reviews

Dream on Trina! Thank you, Thank you, Thank you. What a delightful way of setting out an autobiography. While you only touched on salient points in you life, they were sufficient for us to really gage what a life as an artist could have been in the late 1970's through the 1980's. Without you artist, what a bore life would be. I am interested in writing a book and am reading to determine what type of book I would like to write. Your book with those delightful pictures speaks volumes. Hopefully, I will be able to find my nitch and get my book written in a different manner like you have done. I am not an artist, therefore, my task is much greater than what your task was. Wish me luck.