Title: Ablaze with Color: The Story of Painter Alma Thomas | Author: Jeanne Walker Harvey | Illustrator: Loveis Wise | Genre: Picture Book | Publisher: HarperCollins | Publication Date: February 22, 2022
Book Description: Celebrate the life-changing power of art in this inspiring and stunningly illustrated picture book biography of American artist Alma Thomas.
Meet an incredible woman who broke down barriers throughout her whole life and is now known as one of the most preeminent painters of the 20th century. Told from the point of view of young Alma Thomas, readers can follow along as she grows into her discovery of the life-changing power of art.
As a child in Georgia, Alma Thomas loved to spend time outside, soaking up the colors around her. And her parents filled their home with color and creativity despite the racial injustices they faced. After the family moved to Washington DC, Alma shared her passion for art by teaching children. When she was almost seventy years old, she focused on her own artwork, inspired by nature and space travel.
In this celebration of art and the power of imagination, Jeanne Walker Harvey and Loveis Wise tell the incredible true story of Alma Thomas, the first Black woman to have a solo exhibition at the Whitney Museum in New York City and to have her work chosen for the White House collection. With her bold and vibrant abstract paintings, Alma set the world ablaze with color.
Ablaze with Color includes extensive backmatter with photos, an author’s and illustrator’s note, a timeline, and a list of sources and resources, which will be a great tool for parents, educators, and librarians. Perfect for Women’s History Month and Black History Month units alongside such favorites as Malala’s Magic Pencil, Hidden Figures, and Mae Among the Stars.
My Thoughts: From humble beginnings to one of the most celebrated Black women artists of the 20th century, Alma Thomas’s story is an inspiration. Growing up in the South in the early part of the 1900s, education wasn’t available to black children in the South. But thanks to her innovative parents, Alma was surrounded by books and learned from the interesting people they invited over to discuss various topics. But perhaps it was Alma’s sensory learning — playing in ever-changing gardens and molding pottery from the red clay on the banks of a stream — that was the biggest influence on her art.
Vibrantly-illustrated pages perfectly reflect the bold colors used in Alma’s artwork. The drawings leap off the page and brightly expound on her theories about color and her “focus on beauty and joy”.
The backmatter is fascinating and includes a timeline of both Alma’s life and major events during her lifetime helping readers better understand what was happening at the time. With a comprehensive Educators’ Guide full of discussion questions and extension activities, Ablaze with Color offers a starting point for class discussions during Women’s History Month and Black History Month. Additionally, the Activity Kit provides a colouring page, collage craft and even a puzzle that are sure to entertain kids.
About the Author:
Jeanne Walker Harvey has been a longtime docent at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Just like Alma Thomas, Jeanne believes that art brings us joy. Her other picture books include Maya Lin: Artist-Architect of Light and Lines and My Hands Sing the Blues: Romare Bearden’s Childhood Journey. Jeanne studied literature and psychology at Stanford University. She lives in Northern California.
Visit her online at http://www.jeanneharvey.com.
About the Illustrator:
Loveis Wise is an illustrator and designer from Washington, DC. They are currently based in Los Angeles and their work often speaks to themes of joy and liberation. Their work can be found through the New Yorker, Google, Adobe, and the New York Times.
You can find them online at http://www.loveiswise.com.
Giveaway: Enter for a chance to WIN a classroom set of the picture book Ablaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas! Three (3) winners receive a classroom set of Ablaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas, autographed and personalized for each student and the teacher by Jeanne Walker Harvey (no more than 30 books per set).
Click the link below to enter. Good luck!
Tour Schedule:
Saturday, January 15, 2022
The Children’s Book Review
A book review of Ablaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas
Monday, January 18, 2022
Some the Wiser
A book review of Ablaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas
Tuesday, January 19, 2022
Barbara Ann Mojica’s Blog
A book review of Ablaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas
Wednesday, January 20, 2022
Twirling Book Princess
A book review of Ablaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas
Thursday, January 21, 2022
Lisa’s Reading
A book review of Ablaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas
Friday, January 22, 2022
Glass of Wine, Glass of Milk
A book review of Ablaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas
Monday, January 25, 2022
Heart to Heart
A book giveaway of Ablaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas
Tuesday, January 26, 2022
Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers
A book review of Ablaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas
Wednesday, January 27, 2022
Life Is What It’s Called
A book review of Ablaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas
Thursday, January 28, 2022
Books Are Magic Too
A book review of Ablaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas
Friday, January 29, 2022
The Momma Spot
A book review of Ablaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas
Monday, February 1, 2022
Writer with Wanderlust
A book review of Ablaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas
Tuesday, February 2, 2022
Me Two Books
A book review of Ablaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas
Wednesday, February 3, 2022
icefairy’s Treasure Chest
A book review of Ablaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas
Thursday, February 4, 2022
BookShelfMomma
A book review of Ablaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas
A sincere thank you to the author and publisher for a copy of this book. I reviewed this book in partnership with The Children’s Book Review.
Stephanie Ward 