Take a Picture of Me, James Van Der Zee! by Andrea J. Loney
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
In Take a Picture of Me, James VanDerZee, Andrea J. Loney portrays the life of a distinguished photographer who, “wanted to share the beauty he saw in his heart.” He worked hard and was dedicated to his craft, capturing each person’s story on film in artistically innovative ways. James VanDerZee’s gift, heart, and passion comes to life on every page through brilliant storytelling and visual artistry.
Keith Mallett’s illustrations took me back in time and pulled me in as the story unfolded. Each page was stunning but my absolute favorite was the depiction of James VanDerZee’s Harlem on My Mind Exhibit in New York. I love the contrast. The people were in color and the 40 years of Harlem’s history is portrayed through black and white photos. It surely is a sight to see.
I wholeheartedly enjoyed this story and was equally intrigued by the afterword that included a gallery of some of James VanDerZee’s work; my favorite piece being “Future Expectations” (1926) where he used a photomontage technique to depict both the present and the future in one photograph. Absolutely amazing! Hurry up and grab your copy of this Lee & Low Books New Voices award winning book.
Shout-Outs
Andrea J. Loney | http://andreajloney.com/
Keith Mallett (Artist) | http://www.keithmallett.com/home
Lee & Low Books, Inc. | https://www.leeandlow.com/
2nd Book in my own 28 Books in 28 Days Challenge
CeCeLibrarian’s Book Blog 