Floyd Cooper
Floyd Cooper's art is distinctive. The soft warm colors of his oil washes glow on the pages. What is even more amazing is the speed with which he can create an image. In the two times I have heard him speak, he also demonstrated his artistic technique. In a matter of minutes, he created a beautifully expressive face on his canvas.
Born and raised in Tulsa and a graduate of the University of Oklahoma, Cooper's career included stints at Hallmark where he drew greeting cards, and freelance work as a commercial artist. He eventually found his way to Manhattan, where he secured an agent,started working for textbook publishers and undertook projects that required a quick turnaround. In due time, he had an opportunity to illustrate a children's picture book, Grandpa's Face by Eloise Greenfield (1988, Philomel, $15.95, $5.95). Ever since, Cooper has received unstinting praise from reviewers.
In my personal favorite, The Girl Who Loved Caterpillars by Jean Merrill (1992, Philomel, $14.95), Coopers' soft toned art enhances and brings charm to an ancient Japanese story of a young girl who defies the social mores of the day. His sympathy for a child with Down's Syndrome and his ability to capture the emotions of all young kids make Be Good to Eddie Lee by Virginia Fleming (1993, Philomel, $15.95) a standout. In Meet Danitra Brown by Nikki Grimes (1994, Lothrop, Ages 8 up, $15.00) Cooper provides a wonderful portrait of two little girls and their friendship; all the nuances of the poems are captured in his warm, soft illustrations. Brown Honey In Broomwheat Tea (1993, HarperCollins, $15.00) and its sequel Gingerbread Days by Joyce Carol Thomas (1995, HarperCollins, $14.95) contain poems and drawings to be savored by children of all ages. In 1995, he illustrated no less than five books, which means he does indeed work at an incredible pace. Of particularly appeal is Pulling the Lion's Tail.
Having illustrated so many books by a variety of authors, Cooper decided to try his hand at writing. His book Coming Home: From the Life of Langston Hughes (1994, Philomel, $15.95) was well received. The future can only continue to burn brightly for this talented, award winning, author/illustrator.
Conributor: Marilyn Courtot
Reviews
African Beginnings
James Haskins with Kathleen Benson
Illustrated by Floyd Cooper
For decades, Americans imagined the continent of Africa as one large country. Folk tales were labeled African, for example, rather than stating their specific countries of origin. This book describes various African empires and kingdoms from 3800 BC Nubia to the 19th century. Short vignettes about its people and civilizations are described and pictured with rich luminous monochrome illustrations by Floyd Cooper. This picture book is not a thorough history, but does gives images of how Africa developed, how it built on different civilizations and blended various customs and ideas. 1998, Lothrop, Ages 7 up, $18.00. Reviewer: Susie Wilde
ISBN: 0-688-10257-3
Be Good to Eddie Lee
Virginia Fleming
Illustrated by Floyd Cooper
Sensitively and honestly told story of kids dealing with a neighborhood boy who has Down's syndrome, the text is accompanied by oil wash pictures that perfectly match the story. Eddie Lee isn't like the rest of the kids, he stops and looks at things and just doesn't seem to keep up. But then some of the kids see what Eddie Lee does and come to understand him better. 1993, Putnam, Ages 5 up, $15.95 and $5.95. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot
ISBN: 0-399-21993-5
ISBN: 0-698-11582-1
Bound for America: The Forced Migration of Africans to the New World
James Haskins and Kathleeen Benson
Paintings by Floyd Cooper
The trafficking of slaves to the Americas for a period of 350 years that ended in 1850 removed millions of Africans from their homes. The history of slavery and the slave trade is accompanied by reproductions of artifacts, paintings, drawings and maps plus original paintings by Cooper. It is an excellent look at an abhorrent institution and makes clear that people suffered in ways that seem almost unimaginable today. They were not treated as human beings, but as chattel with no feelings. For those who endured, the Americas offered a new home and eventually freedom from the bonds of slavery. While presented in a picture book form, the material in this book and the first in the series, African Beginnings, is written for an older audience. The concluding pages contain an impressive section entitled "Milestones in the History of Slavery," a bibliography, and an index. 1999, Lothrop, Ages 8 up, $18.00. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot
ISBN: 0-688-10258-1
ISBN: 0-688-10259-X
Brown Honey in Broomwheat Tea
Joyce Carol Thomas
Illustrated by Floyd Cooper
Ms. Thomas sings of her pride in her African American heritage in her collection of poems. The imagery of the poems like the title itself will warm your heart regardless of the color of your skin. Cooper's painting are exquisite portraits of people we are certain we know. Don't miss this one. 1996 (orig. 1993), HarperCollins, Ages All, $15.00, $14.89 and $4.95. Reviewer: Jan Lieberman
ISBN: 0-06-021087-7
ISBN: 0-06-021088-5
ISBN: 0-06-443439-7
Coming Home: From the Life of Langston Hughes
Floyd Cooper
Illustrated by Floyd Cooper
This is the first picture book Floyd Cooper has both illustrated and written and the combined power of his two art forms is stunning. Hughes and Cooper share a poetic soul, for Cooper's voice is filled with a lyricism uncommon in most biographies. Cooper focusses on Hughes' early life, which is most appropriate for the book's intended child audience. He writes of a lonely boy, who is only partially comforted by his storytelling grandmother, who would wrap him in a torn shawl and " in family stories of pride and glory." Cooper gently tells of Hughes' longing to be reunited with his mother and father and the occasional trips to visit his mother in Kansas City, where he would wander "riding his ears around the city," hearing "jazzy old blues music that drifted down the alleys and tickled his soul" with rhythms he never forgot. Cooper knows how to balance emotion and technique, and darks and lights in illustrations. He applies the same skill to words; the telling of a difficult life has a satisfying end. Hughes discovered that "home was in him." 1994, Philomel/ Putnam, Ages 5 up, $15.95 and $5.99. Reviewer: Susie Wilde
ISBN: 0-399-22682-6
ISBN: 0-698-11612-7
Cumbayah
Floyd Cooper
Two African children laugh as they play in a rambling tree. A Middle Eastern boy covers his head for "someone's hurting," and busy people rush by a woman and her son crouched in a doorway in "someone needs you." Cooper has taken the original Gullah classic, added some new verses, and then invites readers/singers to do the same. The soft paintings take us on a world tour of communities through a series of portraits of people who fulfill the song's lyrics with marvelous expression. Cooper's monochromes preserve the classicism of the song and use present situations to show how the song lives today. He has given new expression to an old favorite. 1998, Morrow, Ages 2 up, $16.00. Reviewer: Susie Wilde
ISBN: 0-688-13543-9
ISBN: 0-688-13544-7
Daddy, Daddy, Be There
Candy Dawson Boyd
Illustrated by Floyd Cooper
In Daddy, Daddy, Be There, Candy Dawson Boyd has written some lovely, rhythmic page-long prose-poems. They talk of bad times and good, of bad behavior and good, on the part of both children and their fathers. The book amounts to a set of instructions to fathers. Floyd Cooper has illustrated each page with loving care. They show children of every race and age, with their fathers. The importance of fathers to their children's well being can't be over-emphasized, and here is a lovely way to get fathers and children to read together and talk about what they've read. 1995, Putnam, Ages 4 up, $15.95. Reviewer: Judy Silverman
ISBN: 0-399-22745-8
Faraway Drums
Virginia Kroll
Illustrated by Floyd Cooper
Jamila Jefferson and her little sister Zakiya have moved to a new neighborhood and their mother has left them alone while she is at work. Both are frightened and uncomfortable, but Jamila takes charge by remembering her great-grandmama's stories of Africa. Then strange banging becomes African drums, canned spaghetti becomes West African fou-fou, and screaming brakes are elephants coming to the watering hole. One by one, Jamila transforms uncomfortable city sounds until she can see "the Africa in her (younger sister's) eyes." The siblings and community comfort are present in dialect and the warm paintings. 1997, Little Brown, Ages 6 to 10, $14.95. Reviewer: Susie Wilde
ISBN: 0-316-50449-1
From Miss Ida's Porch
Sandra Belton
Illustrated by Floyd Cooper
In this African-American neighborhood, as the sun starts to go down, kids and grownups congregate on Miss Ida's porch-"a telling place." Mr. Fisher, who hails from Louisiana and is called "Poissant" by Miss Ida, is a man with lots of experience who launches his stories with " 'Puts my mind on the time...' " The tales are about ordinary folk as well as stars such as Lena Horn and Marion Anderson. They are filled with difficulties that Black people had while segregation reigned supreme. There is no bitterness, but there is pride and a strong sense of family in these tellings. The tone is soft and hushed, like early evening, which is also reflected in the soft oil washes by Cooper. It's a book with lots of appeal and a great addition to any multicultural collection. 1998 (orig. 1993), Aladdin, Ages 6 up, $14.95 and $5.99. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot
ISBN: 0-02-708915-0
ISBN: 0-689-81802-5
Gingerbread Days
Joyce Carol Thomas
Illustrated by Floyd Cooper
Joyce Carol Thomas's Gingerbread Days, illustrated by Floyd Cooper, is a joyful evocation of family love throughout the year. From the mouthwatering molasses smell of gingerbread that permeates "A Gingered January" we head to February's "Twisting twisters...that scare me speechless...[until] Daddy takes my hand." December's Christmas poem is a paean to the protagonist's bricklayer daddy who is "...a gift all by himself / His hands ungloved / His heat, his love." See also this creative team's Brown Honey in Broomwheat Tea. 1995, Harper, Ages 6 to 10, $14.95, $14.89 and $5.95. Reviewer: Jan Lieberman
ISBN: 0-06-023469-5
ISBN: 0-06-023472-5
ISBN: 0-06-446188-2
The Girl Who Loved Caterpillars
Jean Merrill
Illustrated by Floyd Cooper
Girls in 12th century Japan were expected to be ladylike and elegant but Izumi's parents were embarrassed by her love of caterpillars and unconventional behavior- she liked boys as playmates because they also loved bugs. In this folktale, Izumi withstands social pressure, declines to marry a lord and appears to be very happy being herself. Floyd Coopers' soft toned art enhances and brings charm to this ancient story. 1992, Philomel, Ages 6 to 10, $16.95 and $5.95. Reviewer: Linda Kelly
ISBN: 0-399-21871-8
ISBN: 0-698-11393-4
Granddaddy's Street Songs
Monalisa DeGross
Illustrated by Floyd Cooper
A young boy asks his granddaddy to tell him a story, not just any story but one about his days "arabbin." That was the term used to identify street vendors who sold goods from horse drawn wagons. As the story unfolds it puts you right up on the wagon, traveling down the streets of Baltimore-readers and listeners are transported back in time. Granddaddy only sold the best fruits and vegetables and like his competitors, he had a gimmick. His was a big fancy umbrella. He calls out his wares and readers and listeners mouths might well begin to water hearing about "Cheeries, cheeries-sweet, dark cheeries." and all of the other delicious fruits and vegetables. Coopers soft pastel shades in his oil wash illustrations are most effective in recreating the scenes of a bygone era and also in the warm portrayal of the relationship between the boy and his granddaddy. A delightful slice of life and a lovely family story that begs to be read aloud. A historical note gives background on the street vendors and those in Baltimore in particular. 1999, Jump at the Sun/Hyperion, Ages 5 to 8, $14.99. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot
ISBN: 0-7868-0160-3
ISBN: 0-7868-2132-9
Grandpa's Face
Eloise Greenfield
Illustrated by Floyd Cooper
Children resist change. When Grandfather must transform his facial expressions while rehearsing for a community theater production, his granddaughter worries about the man behind the new face. 1991 (orig. 1988), Philomel Books, Ages 3 to 8, $15.95 and $5.95. Reviewer: Deborah Zink Roffino
ISBN: 0-399-21525-5
ISBN: 0-698-11381-0
How Sweet the Sound: African American Songs for Children
Selected by Wade & Cheryl Hudson
Illustrated by Floyd Cooper
The authors, who separately and together have written several lovely books featuring Afican American children, describe this beautiful hardcover book as "not a musical song book ... [but] a picture book that illustrates songs." It presents more than twenty traditional African-American songs, including spirituals, folk songs, chants, and more contemporary favorites such as "Take the A Train." The beautifully painted illustrations depict African Americans in a variety of both modern and historical settings. The songs' lyrics are presented in poem form with the illustrations; a section at the end of the book provides background information, as well as the musical score for each song. A list of other resources, including both books and musical collections, is included. How Sweet the Sound is a welcome addition to both homes and school programs seeking to create an affirming, multi-cultural environment for children of all ages. 1995, Scholastic, Ages All, $15.95. Reviewer: Marny Helfrich
ISBN: 0-590-48030-8
I Have Heard of a Land
Joyce Carol Thomas
Illustrated by Floyd Cooper
In a style reminiscent of Maya Angelou, the author takes us back to the time of settlements in the Oklahoma Territory. Families and individuals gather their belongings and make the pilgrimage to find the free land that they have dreamed of. This piece reflects particularly on the history of blacks finding their place in this land. The main character in this story is a woman who, with help from her neighbors, feels the freedom and fulfills her dreams of a place all her own. What better way to retell your family's history than in a picture book? Stunning artistry and beautiful prose make this book a must for every shelf. The educational integration of this text is limitless in every writing or history curriculum. 1998, Joanna Cotler Books, Ages 7 up, $14.95. Reviewer: Scott S. Floyd
ISBN: 0-06-023477-6
Imani's Gift at Kwanzaa
Denise Burden-Patmon
Illustrated by Floyd Cooper
For those interested in learning about the symbols and traditions related to Kwanzaa, this is a good choice. Grandma is the teacher and her granddaughter is the one who absorbs all the information. Cooper provides his usual warm and sensitive illustrations to this intergenerational story of an African American holiday. 1993, Simon & Schuster, Ages 4 to 8, $4.95. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot
ISBN: 0-671-79841-3
ISBN: 0-8136-2244-1
ISBN: 0-8136-2243-3
Jaguarundi
Virginia Hamilton
Paintings by Floyd Cooper
My difficulties with this book stem, I think, from the fact that I don't know what it is supposed to be. Is it a folktale explaining how animals adapt to their environments, or how jaguarundis came to live in desert climates? Is it a metaphor for the search for freedom that has motivated countless groups of people to leave the safety of their homeland for the possibility of better times and situations? Is it an environmental plea? I don't know the answer to those questions, but I do know that the book does not succeed on all these levels simultaneously. It is difficult to connect with the characters and their problems-again perhaps because I had trouble simply identifying the basic problem. Also, the time lapse seemed confusing. An animal species adapted to life in the rainforest would need more time than Jaguarundi seems to have spent on his journey to be able to survive in a desert habitat. Stunning artwork and the illustrated animal glossary are definitely the bright spots here. 1995, Blue Sky, Ages 8 up, $14.95. Reviewer: Judy Katsh
ISBN: 0-590-47366-2
Ma Dear's Aprons
Patricia C. McKissack
Illustrated by Floyd Cooper
Little David knows what day of the week it is by the apron his mother wears. Each day of the week and the strenuous chores Ma undertakes are described in this wonderful book, Through David's eye and his mother's aprons, young readers will learn about the hard life of African-Americans living in the South in the late 1800s. But what really shines through is the strong love between a mother and her son. 1997, Atheneum Books, Ages 3 to 12, $16.00. Reviewer: Rebecca Joseph
ISBN: 0-689-81051-2
Meet Danitra Brown
Nikki Grimes
Illustrated by Floyd Cooper
This is an original collection of poetry that tells of the friendship between two African-American girls, Danitra and Zuri. When Danitra tells Zuri that some day she will win the Nobel Prize, Zuri knows that she speaks the truth. When kids tease Zuri about her dark skin, her Mama says, "Next time honey, you just say/ The blacker the berry, the sweeter the juice." Copper's portraits of the girls are filled with wit and charm that reflect their personalities. 1994, Lothrop, Ages 8 to 12, $16.00, $15.93 and $4.95. Reviewer: Jan Lieberman
ISBN: 0-688-12073-3
ISBN: 0-688-12074-1
ISBN: 0-688-15471-9
Miz Berlin Walks
Jane Yolen
Illustrated by Floyd Cooper
A storyteller's dream, this rhythmic blank verse tale knits a tight weave between an elderly white woman and the young black girl who one day summons enough nerve to trail along on Miz Berlin's walk-and-talk odyssey. Rather than a bewitched or crazy person, she finds a kindly soul with some outlandish yarns and other experiences paralleling her own. Although in the end she loses her new friend, she gains the gift of storytelling. The illustrations, surprisingly, are spotty: "The oldest woman in the world" needs more realistic wrinkles and stoops than she is given. Even more disturbing, however, is her glamorization for the cover, where she sports a bobbed nose and facelift! 1997, Philomel Books, Ages 5 to 9, $15.95. Reviewer: Judy Chernak
ISBN: 0-399-22938-8
On Mardi Gras Day
Floyd Cooper
Illustrations by Fatima Shaik
Mardi Gras, that great day of color, sound, and merriment, comes alive is this celebratory book. Two young boys take the reader through a day of tradition; Mardi Gras Indians in colorful beaded dress march proudly by, the Zulu parade features African Americans poking fun at old Southern customs, and the Rex parade is the day's highlight with costumed revelers tossing coins. The beat of the drums, the blare of the horns, the smell of the tantalizing food, and the voices of the people raised in song permeate this lively book. Vibrant illustrations shimmer on every page and invite the reader to join in the fun. 1999, Dial, Ages 6 to 10, $16.99. Reviewer: Beverley Fahey
ISBN: 0-8037-1442-4
One April Morning: Children Remember the Oklahoma City Bombing
Nancy Lamb and Children of Oklahoma City
Illustrated by Floyd Cooper
The author returned to her native Oklahoma City two months after the bombing to talk to children of many ethnic and economic groups, ranging in age from three to fourteen, about their feelings and experiences during and after the tragedy. The children's own words are mixed with a brief text by the author and large, softly colored, evocative paintings creating a non-fiction picture book that is intended to help young readers deal with any kind of personal trauma or loss, such as caused by a fire, illness, natural disaster, etc. Notes by psychologists further explain the stages of recovery and healing that are emphasized in the quotes from the children of Oklahoma City. Profits from the book will help to fund The Care Center in Oklahoma City. 1996, Lothrop, Ages 1 up, $16.00 and $15.93. Reviewer: Gisela Jernigan
ISBN: 0-688-14666-X
ISBN: 0-688-14724-0
Pass It On
Selected by Wade Hudson
Illustrated by Floyd Cooper
A treasure of rhythm and rhyme from superbly talented African-American poets, such as Langston Hughes, Nikki Giovanni, and Gwendolyn Brooks, this delightful book crosses all racial boundaries and glorifies the simple joys of childhood. The nineteen poems are skillfully illustrated with wistful and hazy pages, punctuated by an occasional splash of purple. Excellent collection for younger children. 1993, Scholastic, Ages 7 to 10, $15.95. Reviewer: Deborah Zink Roffino
ISBN: 0-590-45770-5
Pulling the Lion's Tail
Jane Kurtz
Illustrated by Floyd Cooper
Every day for the year following her mother's death, Almaz brings her father water and injera-a type of thin bread-that she made by herself. Almaz knows she really should let the batter cook a little longer. One day, her father brings home a new wife, Kibret, and the always-impatient Almaz wastes no time trying to get to know her. But Kibret is too shy even to speak to Almaz. "My new mother never talks to me," Almaz tells her grandfather, the wisest of the elders. "She doesn't love me." The grandfather offers to tell her the secret to winning her new mother's love, but only if the girl brings him some hair from the tail of a lion. Jane Kurtz, who grew up in Ethiopia, beautifully brings to life this classic tale. Cooper's luminous paintings eloquently capture the flavor of life in an Ethiopian village and subtly convey a young girl's sadness, excitement, and joy as she slowly learns the value of patience. 1995, Simon and Schuster, Ages 4 to 7, $15.00 and $14.00. Reviewer: Armin A. Brott
ISBN: 0-689-80324-9
ISBN: 0-671-88183-3
Tree of Hope
Amy Littlesugar
Illustrations by Floyd Cooper
Amy Littlesugar pays homage to artistic dreams that refuse to die. Even though it is the Depression and the great Lafayette Theater in Harlem is now dark; Florrie's father yearns to act there once again. Frying doughnuts at the bakery, listening to Mama's practical advice, he urges Florrie to dream, too. When the theater re-opens as part of a Franklin Roosevelt project, Florrie is thrilled when Daddy gets a small part, but is anxious that Mama's worries will keep her from the performance. Amy Littlesugar's writing has the cadence of oral storytelling, as if this family drama had been passed down from parent to child for years. Floyd Cooper's brown-toned oil paintings capture the gritty reality of the 1930s even while his touches--and sometimes whole backdrops--of light create a hopeful mood. 1999, Philomel, Ages 4 to 9, $16.99. Reviewer: Mary Quattlebaum
ISBN: 0-399-23300-8
Updated 1999
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