Ever since you can remember, your child has loved to draw. Lots of kids do, but while not every kid grows up to be a great artist, in his new book “Kid Artists,” author David Stabler points out that every great artist starts out as a kid.
When America entered World War I, young Theodore Geisel was teased and bullied for his German last name and because his grandfather was an immigrant. Ted never let that bother him, though: he continued to draw and play with words, which made him famous. You probably, in fact, know him by the name on the cover of his books: Dr. Seuss.
“Sparky” Schulz’s father loved the “funny pages,” and so young Sparky grew up with that same appreciation of the comics. Sparky was kind of a shy teen, until the day he sent a drawing of his dog to the editors of “Ripley’s Believe It or Not!” and his cartoon was printed. That launched Schulz’s career with a round-headed kid named Charlie Brown and a dancing beagle named Snoopy.
What happens when you give a kid a crayon? You get a drawing, of course, and in “Kid Artists,” the picture is clear: genius isn’t easy.
Using the word “artist” to denote creativity, Stabler profiles 17 people who didn’t just become well-known artists overnight. For them, practicing their passion was a lifelong journey, and along the way, they were just like any average kid. Some were bullied, some moved around a lot, others overcame poverty or deprivation, and a few bucked convention to do what their hearts told them to do. Kids will appreciate accompanying artwork by Horner, and the fact that these short stories are guilt-free, skippable, and browse-able, if needed.
That adds up to an interesting, attention-holding collection of mini-biographies that any 7- to 14-year-old can enjoy for fun or for a school project. Or, if they need inspiration to persevere with their own creative genius, “Kid Artists” is a great book to draw from.
“Kid Artists: True Tales of Childhood from Creative Legends,” by David Stabler [208 pages, 2016, $13.95].
Terri Schlichenmeyer has been reading since she was 3 years old, and she never goes anywhere without a book. She lives on a hill with two dogs and 12,000 books.
