A Splash of Red: The Life and Art of Horace Pippin (Schneider Family Book Awards - Young Children's Book Winner)

My kids (7 & 8) LOVE this book and so do I! Horace Pippin's story is intriguing and inspiring, from overcoming personal and community struggles to navigating life after injury. Jen Bryant did a great job narrating it. We really enjoy the illustrations by Melissa Sweet, and it got our creative juices flowing to do some collage ourselves! What a neat and memorable way of telling a story, especially this story of an artist who was able to create in unconventional ways. I would say that the content and tone of the book are good for 7-8yr olds like my kids, but the reading level is probably higher. I read the book to my kids because we enjoy reading that way.

his book was so very interesting to me; Horace Pippin is a West Chester (Pennsylvania) native who loved to draw and share his pictures with family, friends, classmates, workers and army buddies. When he won a box of paints, that began his signature use of red in his scenes. In the war, he was shot and the bullet did permanent damage to his right arm, affecting his lifting and drawing and painting. After the war he married and settled in West Chester, helping his wife with her business since he could not work due to his war injury. But Horace itched to draw and paint again; he worked very hard using his good arm to move his injured arm and soon he was making pictures and paintings again. N.C. Wyeth came to see Horace's work and from his first art show, Horace Pippin became a world famous artist. Jen Bryant brings Horace Pippin's life and work alive in her vivid details and descriptions and Melissa Sweet's illustrations were perfect. I especially liked the way she included Horace Pippin's quiet, yet powerful quotes within the illustrations. I recommend this book for all children, teens and adults. You will look at the color red a little bit differently after reading this book!

Awesome Book! Horace Pippin’s story is truly inspirational, his determination and creativity is heart-warming. Pippin love to draw and that is just what he did, sharing his artwork with everyone he came in contact with including his army friends. The author presents his story in a manner that spans the life of the subject, but does not fill the reader with unnecessary details. The illustrations are presented with a scrapbook feel, adding visual depiction to the artist’s life story with his own style of artistry. “I will never forget suffering, And I will never forget sunset. I came home with all of it in my mind”, I particularly enjoyed how the author sprinkled in quotes from the artist through the story. Pippin did not allow his current circumstances to control his future journey. When problems presented themselves he sought alternative measures to push forward.

My daughter loved reading this book. I loved being introduced to an artists work that I had not heard of before. Beautiful illustrations and easy to understand language tells the story beautifully.

This book is very informative, thoroughly researched and well developed. The art work and art selections are excellent choices. I have shared the book with my pre-service teachers, friends and art teachers. It would be a great center for a unit or project learning at the intermediate level. I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book and finding out about the life of an artist from my town. It is integrated with historic information and facts and details of the artist's life that I found to be authentic.

Beautiful story that inspired my students to start an art journal of their own

This is a wonderful book about art, perseverance, and following your dreams.I wasn't familiar with Horace Pippin, but now I am glad that I am. This is a beautifully written and illustrated book about an African American artist and his amazing life and how art was a constant presence, I truly enjoyed reading and sharing this with my third graders as we have been studying African Americans and reading a variety of biographies.

LOVE the story of Horace Pippin!!! WELL TOLD, but I wanted to see HIS artwork ~his paintings. I was so disappointed that more of H. Pippin's originals were not included. The illustrations are fabulous. But the originals are so unique and evocative especially from a young person's view. Hmmmm. SO GLAD I READ IT and thank you to the authors.

This book is so imaginatively put together. The text and drawings are great. Then there’s the story of perseverance which is so encouraging. Loved this book and so did the children

Love it