Lynn Curlee
Spring has finally sprung here in the nation's capital and for us that usually means, lots of beautiful flowers along the Potomac and a gorgeous display of pale pink cherry blossoms around the tidal basin. It also harbor the onslaught of students who come in for tours of the many famous sites including the Capitol building itself.
Lynn Curlee who is not female and does not have curly hair was in town March 15 and 16, 2003 promoting his newest book entitled Capital. It is done in his recognizable style which he gets by creating works on large canvases usually 3 feet by 3 feet) using acrylics. When they are photographically reduced down for the picture books, the appearance is one of really smoothness and also much like a stop action image. Lynn told me that he has a wonderful photographer friend now 85 years young who has been to many of the great museums such as the Hermitage and traveled with greats like the Rockefellers. He comes to Lynn's house with his box camera and sets up to shoot the images that fill the pages of Lynn's acclaimed books.
Although Lynn is a North Carolina native, he spent most of the early years of his artist career in New York City where he began his professional career as an artist. Some twenty years later Lynn moved out of the big city and now lives on Long Island. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of North Carolina with a degree in art history. He also has a degree in art history from the University of Pennsylvania. He noted that his education has stood him in good stead for his books because he knows how to conduct research in the library and on the Internet. For Capital, research was not too difficult; because each of the major building profiled has its own web site and he found guide books form the 1950s particularly useful.
When I asked him about his entry into the field of children's books which is fairly recent, he related that it was triggered by a client in one of his galleries who suggested that his style might be quite appropriate for children's books. It was not a field that Lynn knew very well except for some of the names such as David Macaulay and Chris van Allsburg. He did visit three publishers and at HarperCollins, he hit pay dirt. They had a manuscript that they thought would fit his style. He jumped at the chance and within six months completed the pictures for Horses with Wings by Dennis Haseley (now out of print). Booklist praised the book with the following--"Stunning, full-color artwork highlights this picture-book story of Leon Gambetta's dramatic escape from Paris via a hot air balloon during the Franco-Prussian War."
For his second book, he had already created a series of painting about zeppelins. His editor suggested that he write the text and prepare the art for his second book, Ships of the Air. It was a book fraught with trouble due to personnel changes (three editors and three years in development). It was almost enough to turn Lynn off and away from the world of children's books. Fortunately that didn't happen. His third book was Into the Ice: The Story of Arctic Exploration. As editors and art directors moved around so did Lynn and his next book, Rushmore, was published by Scholastic. Now he knew he had found his milieu. Lynn would research, write and paint books for children that celebrated "great historical monuments and architectural icons." Also as his books have garner more praise he has more say in the look and layout and that makes him very happy. Lynn also works with his editors batting around ideas. It was his idea to undertake Liberty which was given a wonderful review in the New York Times. It made Lynn feel that he had made it-"it was a confirmation of my efforts." Brooklyn Bridge quickly followed which was also set in New York. It won a Sibert Honor in 2002. Seven Wonders of the Ancient World which came next was a book broader in scope and mixed a bit of imagination with historical fact. Lynn works on one book at a time and has been averaging one a year. During the time he is not creating children's books, he continues to devote his time to other paintings and his works can be found in numerous collections as well as the Prime Gallery in Southold, New York.
Lynn feels that his editors have his career in mind and are helping him grow in the field. (It doesn't hurt that he has a great talent, writes well and meets his deadlines). To illustrate, Lynn had convinced his editor that his next book should be about the Parthenon, and he had the text completed, but they asked him to reconsider and to do a more American subject. After some brainstorming, they came up with the idea for Capital. Certainly the events of 2001 were clearly in mind while Lynn worked on these painting. "What began as a pleasant job turned into a terribly serious and timely one. The very structures about which I was writing might have been destroyed even as I was doing the work." As noted in the review below, it is a marvelous book and a must read for any youngster headed for a visit to Washington, D. C.
Never fear, Lynn's newest book will be Parthenon and it will come out in time for the Olympics in Athens. So his editors did know what they were doing, and Lynn is grateful that he has such a fabulous group to work for and with. More wonderful books will undoubtedly be coming form this collaboration, and I for one don't want to miss a single one. Contributor: Marilyn Courtot
Visit http://www.curleeart.com to view examples of Lynn Curlee's work.
Reviews
Ballpark: The Story of America's Baseball FieldsLynn Curlee
Continuing in his tradition of superlative nonfiction, Lynn Curlee has tackled the history of baseball through a look at the greatest ballparks of all time. While this picture book exceeds the standard 32 pages, even the 48 it takes to tell the story serves only to whet the appetite for more. I am not a huge sports fan of any kind, but I do find baseball engaging enough. Despite my lukewarm interest in the subject, I was enthralled by the scope of the book: what Curlee focused on, how deeply he chose to go, and how broad his knowledge was. I read the whole thing cover to cover when, typically, a book of this kind only gets a cursory glance from me. As usual, his illustrations are at once stylized yet evocative. I think anyone with even a passing interest in baseball will find this history of ballparks--and thus the game itself--exciting. 2005, Atheneum, $17.95. Ages 7 to 10. Reviewer: Joan Kindig, Ph.D. (Children's Literature).
Best Books:
Kirkus Book Review Stars, January 15, 2005; United States
Publishers Weekly Book Review Stars, February 7, 2005; Cahners; United States
Top 10 Sports Books for Youth, 2005; American Library Association-Booklist; United States
Awards, Honors, Prizes:
Parent's Choice Award Silver 2005 Non-Fiction United States
ISBN: 0-689-86742-5
Brooklyn Bridge
Lynn Curlee
When the Brooklyn Bridge was completed in 1883, its stone towers were the most massive structures on the continent, its cables and deck were among the first constructions of a metal called "steel" and its span was the longest of any bridge in the world. It was called a true "eighth Wonder of the World." Curlee brings the same concise text and lively portrayal of the people and problems involved that he used so effectively in Liberty (Atheneum). His unfussy acrylic paintings seem based on archival photographs and have an engineer's love of the precise line and depiction of the inner workings of the project. The genius behind the bridge was John A. Roebling, whose son Washington carried on after Roebling lost his life to a gangrenous foot. The story is not without disasters, deaths and even a final scare when a week after the bridge opened, someone cried that it was falling and the resulting stampede crushed a dozen people. Curlee's eye for detail, his timely diagrams, cross-sections and maps (which come along just as the reader wants them), and the ending pictures of the bridge from several cross-sectioned perspectives show the reader how marvelous this construction was--and is. As one architect pointed out, this bridge is likely to be our most durable monument to posterity and "it is a work of bare utility; not a shrine, not a fortress, not a palace, but a bridge." 2001, Atheneum, Ages 8 to 12, $18.00. Reviewer: Susan Hepler
ISBN: 0-689-83183-8
Best Books:
The Best Children's Books of the Year, 2002 ; Bank Street College of Education; United States
Capitol Choices, 2001 ; The Capitol Choices Committee; United States
Children's Catalog, Eighteenth Edition, Supplement, 2002 ; H.W. Wilson; United States
Notable Books for Children, 2002 ; American Library Association-ALSC; United States
Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young Readers, 2002 ; National Council for the Social Studies; United States
Outstanding Science Trade Books for Children, 2002 ; National Science Teachers Association; United States
Publishers Weekly Book Review Stars, May 2001 ; Cahners; United States
Awards, Honors, Prizes:
Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award Honor Book 2002 United States
State and Provincial Reading Lists:
Maine Student Book Award, 2002-2003 ; Maine
Capital
Lynn Curlee
The Washington Monument looks better in Curlee's painting than it does in reality. His view makes it look taller and slimmer and a bit more uniform in color. It is of course based on the famous obelisks in ancient Egypt many of which I have seen. But unlike those cold stone monuments, this one can be entered by the public and offers a great view of the city. Curlee provides a lot of factual information in his picture book. Readers will learn about the creation of the Federal City and the grand design of Pierre-Charles L'Enfant. I for one did not know that the Constitution stated that it should not exceed ten square miles. We know that The National Mall is the symbolic heart of the United States and certainly retains quite a bit of the scale and vision that L'Enfant wished, but not without effort which included the removal of a train station and numerous temporary building. Curlee describes the competition for the design of the Capitol, what happened to the original building, and how thirty-six years later after the cornerstone (yet to be found) was laid by George Washington, the Capitol was completed. As readers learn, the building soon need modifications and expansion to match the growth of the country and its government; and if you visit Washington D.C. today you will see the latest efforts to expand the Capitol are underway. The pictures are wonderful and each one looks like it should be framed--the double page spread showing a cross section of the Capitol will certainly captivate readers. Similar treatment is given to the White House, Washington Monument, Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials. The closing pages show a grand Fourth of July celebration and a diagram of the mall with the location of the monuments featured in the book. 2003, Atheneum/Simon & Schuster, Ages All, $17.95. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot
ISBN: 0-689-84947-8
Into the Ice: The Story of Arctic Exploration
Lynn Curlee
Author/illustrator Lynn Curlee's paintings depict historic journeys from an Inuit hunter's lone probes to the Peary/Henson trek. His straightforward narrative spans the time from first incursions into the Arctic waters to the race to the North Pole. Young readers can easily select a focus for further research from his relaxed and fact-filled prose. 1998, Houghton, $16.00. Ages 8 up. Reviewer: Dr. Beverly Kobrin
ISBN: 0-395-83013-3
Into the Ice: The Story of Arctic Exploration
Lynn Curlee
The opening scene features an Inuit paddling his kayak while wearing a pair of eye protectors that make him resemble an alien invader, in what to most of us is an alien environment. Curlee introduces readers to the forbidding Arctic and then recaps the history of exploration of this frozen region beginning with Pythes, a fourth century Greek merchant, and followed by the whalers and fur hunters of the seventeen and eighteen hundreds and later scientific excursions by Ross, Parry, Nansen, Peary, Amundsen and several others. It is a great introduction, and the stark but appealing illustrations fit this account of exploration into this vast wilderness. There is a time line, up-to-date bibliography and an index. 1998, Houghton Mifflin, Ages 8 up, $16.00. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot
ISBN: 0-395-83013-3
Best Books:
Adventuring with Books: A Booklist for Pre-K--Grade 6, 12th Edition, 1999 ; National Council of Teachers of English; United States
The Best Children's Books of the Year, 1999 ; Bank Street College of Education; United States
The Children's Literature Choice List, 1999 ; Children's Literature; United States
State and Provincial Reading Lists:
Pennsylvania Young Readers' Choice Award, 1999-2000 ; Pennsylvania
Liberty
Lynn Curlee
Her face fills the cover and when you look closely, you see the faces of others peering through the windows in her crown. The Statue of Liberty is certainly one of the most famous statues in the world. She sits on a pedestal in New York Harbor and whether you are newly arrived or not, the sight of this great lady lifting her torch high is quite moving. Curlee has provided an informative and fascinating text that tells how the statue came to be. His style is so engaging that the people come alive and readers are swept up in the planning, fundraising, and magnitude of the construction, which all culminated twenty-one years later with the dedication on Bedloe's Island. Curlee's paintings, especially of the torch on display at the Philadelphia Exposition and of the head being moved to the Paris Universal Exposition, also tell the story of the massive size of the statue and how much effort was needed to raise the funds. Learning that Eiffel (of the famed Eiffel Tower) was the designer of the statue's interior framework, as well as many other facts about the construction and recent renovation, should keep kids turning the pages. It is a great story and a true one. Curlee's book should find a receptive home in school and home libraries. Also included are the statue's specifications, a timeline, bibliography and, on the opening pages, a reprint of Emma Lzarus' 1883 poem about the Statue of Liberty entitled "The New Colossus" which is carved in the pedestal. 2000, Atheneum, Ages 7 up, $18.00. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot
ISBN: 0-689-82823-3
ISBN: 0-689-85683-0
Liberty
Lynn Curlee
Clean prose and dramatic acrylic paintings tell the story of the Statue of Liberty, which was made to commemorate a century of American independence, and some of the changes Lady Liberty has undergone since her unveiling in 1886. A chart of specifications will have young readers quoting a forefinger eight feet long and a torch height twenty-one feet tall! Curlee indicates scale in a number of ways--by including people, other buildings, and the length of a bridge as indicators. It's also fascinating to realize that Eiffel built the interior structure and that Gutzon Borglum of Mt. Rushmore fame rebuilt the flame. The account of Joseph Pulitzer's offer to publish the name of anyone donating to the fund to build the base had me wondering if I could find any of my ancestors on that list. Details like the boatload of suffragettes protesting the fact that no women were invited to the grand opening connect this to the times beautifully. An emotional as well as informational approach to the topic. Endmatter includes a timeline, a tidy bibliography of both child and adult sources, and a specifications chart. 2000, Atheneum, Ages 8 to 12, $18.00. Susan Hepler
ISBN: 0-689-82823-3
ISBN: 0-689-85683-0
Best Books:
The Best Children's Books of the Year, 2001 ; Bank Street College of Education; United States
Capitol Choices, 2000 ; The Capitol Choices Committee; United States
Children's Catalog, Eighteenth Edition, 2001 ; H.W. Wilson; United States
The Children's Literature Choice List, 2001 ; Children's Literature; United States
Notable Books for Children, 2001 ; American Library Association-ALSC; United States
Parent's Guide to Children's Media, 2000 ; Parent's Guide to Children's Media, Inc.; United States
Publishers Weekly Book Review Stars, May 2000 ; Cahners; United States
Awards, Honors, Prizes:
Society of School Librarians International Book Awards Honor 2000 Social Studies: K-6 United States
State and Provincial Reading Lists:
Garden State Children's Book Award, 2003 ; New Jersey
Rhode Island Children's Book Award, 2002 ; Rhode Island
Utah Children's Book Awards, 2002 ; Utah
Parthenon
Lynn Curlee
The creator of the vibrantly illustrated histories of the monuments, the Statue of Liberty, Mount Rushmore and the Brooklyn Bridge has turned his attention to the long history of this proud ruin of Athens. It's a timely book, considering that many children will have seen the beautiful ruins lit from within as a centerpiece of television's recent coverage of the 2004 Summer Olympics. Curlee's text introduces Greece civilization at the time of the monument's beginning on the Acropolis as a temple to Athena. He then traces the many additions and destructions, the wars with the Persians that ruined the first temple, the rebuilding under Pericles' reign with glorious statuary and an overall plan by Phidias, and subsequent cave-ins, fires, lootings, and decay that befell the Acropolis. The Elgin Marbles, now held by the British Museum, have inadvertently been preserved both from looting and from the acid rain that imperils the marble work and Curlee mentions the controversy surrounding their return to Greece. Acrylic renderings of the architecture and the information about, for instance, Doric and Ionic columns, fare better than the stiff human figures who declaim, carve, or lend some scale to the paintings. The dense text of necessity covers much history on behalf of the Parthenon and readers who bring some knowledge about ancient history can absorb more. But readers who know nothing of Greek history can, through this book, nonetheless appreciate the stunning marvel this now-ruined building and its site must have been. And still is. 2004, Atheneum, $17.95. Ages 9 to 14. Reviewer: Susan Hepler, Ph.D. (Children's Literature).
Best Books:
Best Children's Books of the Year, 2004; Bank Street College of Education; United States
Booklist Book Review Stars, Sep. 15, 2004; United States
School Library Journal Book Review Stars, June 2004; Cahners; United States
Awards, Honors, Prizes:
Parent's Choice Award Recommended 2004 Non-Fiction United States
ISBN: 0-689-84490-5
Rushmore
Lynn Curlee
Dense, straightforward text explains the history of the building of Mount Rushmore from the idea's inception in 1924 to its completion in 1941. The United States had turned its attention to the war effort and there would be no more money for work. Mt. Rushmore was supposed to include words written by Calvin Coolidge carved into the rock face but that, along with a museum and vault, never came to completion. An afterword mentions further controversy that surrounded the carving up of these mountains. Washington, Jefferson and Lincoln were undisputed first choices but the fourth started a debate: Susan B. Anthony for her campaign for women's equality? Woodrow Wilson for leading the country through World War I? But sculptor Gutzon Borglum and the then current South Dakota senator were fans of Theodore Roosevelt's conservation policies and he became the fourth head to be carved. While the book's design, with its picture book size and four double-page spreads of solid text doesn't invite young readers to warm to the subject, Curlee does an adequate job of telling the story for upper elementary and middle school students, especially those studying the United States. The stiff, blocky oil paintings work best when portraying the stonework and interest readers more in the monument than the people who created it. An index and timeline are included. 1999, Scholastic, Ages 9 to 14, $17.95. Reviewer: Susan Hepler
ISBN: 0-590-22573-1
ISBN: 0-590-22201-5
Rushmore
Lynn Curlee
This book is a fascinating account of the making of the great stone heads carved on the face of a mountain in South Dakota. Curlee tells the story in both words and large, full-color paintings done in acrylics, having the precision of architectural blueprints. With his text, Curlee tells the history of the project from its beginning in 1924 until October 31, 1941, when work was stopped. With his pictures, he gives the reader a sculptor's-eye view of the heads, including several dramatic close ups. The originator was Gutzon Borglum, the son of Danish immigrants who studied art in San Francisco and Paris. His greatest success was as a sculptor. His great desire was to create monumental works that would "ennoble" the viewer and evoke patriotic feelings. He worked on the carving of Stone Mountain, Georgia, but quit because his ideas were not given pre-eminence. At Mount Rushmore, he was made the director of the project. His difficulties with the weather, the workmen, fundraising, and politicians are all described. His success is also recorded--mainly in pictures. Students with an interest in sculpture or in history will enjoy this book very much. Nonfiction (730), Highly Recommended. 1999, Scholastic, 48p, Grades 4-7, $17.95. Reviewer: Marsha Harper (Heart of Texas Reviews (Vol. 12, No. 2))
ISBN: 0-590-22573-1
ISBN: 0-590-22201-5
Best Books:
Children's Catalog, Eighteenth Edition, 2001 ; H.W. Wilson; United States
Middle And Junior High School Library Catalog, Eighth Edition, 2000 ; H.W. Wilson; United States
Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children, 2000 ; National Council of Teachers of English; United States
Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People, 2000 ; National Council for the Social Studies; United States
Recommended Literature: Kindergarten through Grade Twelve, 2002 ; California Department of Education; California
State and Provincial Reading Lists:
Garden State Children's Book Award, 2002 ; New Jersey
Maine Student Book Award, 2000-2001 ; Maine
Seven Wonders of the Ancient World
Lynn Curlee
Using a healthy dose of imagination mixed with archaeological and historical fact, Mr. Curlee has created an engaging introduction to the seven wonders of the ancient world. Each description is no longer than two to three pages, but each attempts to begin to answer the how and why questions that we ask today regarding the people and resources involved in the construction of each marvel. The text, which is not at all daunting, has just the right mix of romantic wonder and historical reference to draw young readers in, arouse interest and inspire further investigation. The illustrations, done in eye-catching bold acrylics, are surreal and captivating. They seem, to the reader, larger than life, as surely the wonders must have seemed to the people of the Hellenistic era. Considering that the average person can only name one or two of the seven wonders, this is much needed addition to the world of children's book. I highly recommend this as a resource and can see many classroom discussions and activities evolving from this book. 2002, Antheum Books for Young Readers, Ages 8 to 12, $17.00. Reviewer: Trina Heidt
ISBN: 0-689-83182-X
Ships of the Air
Lynn Curlee
This is a very nicely illustrated short survey of the history of lighter-than-air craft. The text relates clearly and logically the story from the first hot air balloon experiments in France through the Nazi Zeppelin raids to today's "floating billboards." There is not much here to cause excitement or increased interest in the subject, but the contents will serve students needing material for reports or projects and those already interested in blimps or hot-air balloons. The illustrations are clean and show enough detail to maintain accuracy, but could have benefited from at least one close-up and an interior scene. 1996, Houghton Mifflin Company, Ages 8 to 12, $14.95. Reviewer: Donna T. Brumby
ISBN: 0-06-022885-7
ISBN: 0-06-022886-5
Updated 2005
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If you’re interested in reviewing children's and young adult books, then send a resume and writing sample to marilyn@childrenslit.com.