Kenya's Art

May 1, 2016

Gr 1-3-Kenya's class has been given an assignment to complete over the spring vacation. The children need to write a report about what they did over the break. Everyone seems to have done something fun or special while on vacation, except Kenya. She hasn't taught a puppy a new trick, learned to play an instrument, or even gone to soccer camp. Kenya feels like she won't have anything interesting to write about. Her father suggests that they go to the museum and learn something new. At the museum, Kenya learns about recycling and reusing items. When she sees an interesting display made out of old plastic bottles and colorful streamers, Kenya becomes inspired to create her own "thingamabob." This also motivates her family to form their own works of art with old objects from around the house. When Kenya returns to school, not only is she excited to share her information but she is also eager to teach everyone how to make their own thingamabobs. The colorful cartoon illustrations are a combination of digitally overpainted watercolor and graphite. The text and art are earnest and purposeful about recycling, reusing, and making art. VERDICT An additional title for Earth Day and environmental units.-Barbara Spiri, Southborough Library, MA

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 15, 2015
A broken-toy purge turns into an art-making session in this didactic look at recycling and reuse. Kenya's story begins when her mother orders her to get rid of all her broken toys, including the one she is currently playing with, a prize from her art teacher. In a narrative shift, Kenya asks her dad for homework help--she has to tell her class what she did for spring vacation: nothing. A walk to the park only reinforces how much better her classmates' vacations have been. But a museum tour provides the spark: a quilt made with reused scraps and a sculpture: "This artist recycled used bottles and made something to look at. It's not useful, it's art," says the docent. Kenya labels it a "thingamabob." The whole family gets in on the act at home, making new things from old and creating art. Kenya makes her own thingamabob that is sure to have parents of packrats cringing: it's a huge heap of broken toys anchored in a clay base. Mitchell's detailed watercolor, graphite, and digital illustrations show a loving black family whose expressions are rather static. Kenya's friends and classmates tick off the other racial and ethnic boxes for a nicely rainbow classroom: white twins, a black trumpet player, an Asian soccer player, a Latina teacher. The emphasis on art as something that's not useful and on holding on to items by branding them as art makes this one to miss. (Picture book. 4-8)

COPYRIGHT(2015) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.