Markel: Dreamer from the Village
Today I read the children at Camp Chai Michelle Markel’s Dreamer from the Village: The Story of Marc Chagall. This beautifully drawn book recounts Marc Chagall’s life—the famous Russian/Jewish painter– through words and pictures. Emily Lisker’s illustrations are variations on Chagall’s painting themselves. They are simpler, using less number of colors, making the imagery more palatable for children, for whom the book was produced. The palette might have been more limited, but I really enjoyed how each page in the book had a different dominant/ background color that defined the mood for the whole scene. That range helped to engage the kids to whom I was reading the story and showing the book.
I had only a few caveats about the book. I would have preferred not to mention the word “Louvre” in it. The biography was simplified to a skeleton version and many aspects of Chagall’s life were unmentioned. I had a difficult time explaining to the children what the Louvre is, and why was it a big deal for Chagall to get in there. It was superfluous for the target audience. The typography matched nicely Chagall’s painting style. The only problem is that it is hard to read, both for young people and in a setting where the story is read aloud.
Having said the above this is a recommended book. I appreciated that the illustrator actually painted paintings with oil on canvas for this book, providing a rich experience. The author note, mini-glossary and additional information about Chagall at the end of the book made the book whole. Borrow the book if you want to introduce your child to this genius painter.
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