The Creative Life

The underlying essence behind all creativity is the humanity that elevates art above manufactured product. Creativity takes courage to be nurtured and extracts personal sacrifices. Gifted with premonitions, obscured by insecurities, inflated by ego, skewed by emotional highs and lows, wild and crazy, the lives of creative people are rarely dull. The imaginative spirit chants an inner voice; listening takes resolute confidence and demands great faith. In On Writing for Children and Other People, Julius Lester reflects, "The realm of memory is finite. That of the imagination is infinite because it enables us to see what we have not seen, what we may never see, what may not even exist. Imagination enables us to experience what it is like to be someone else."

What can teachers and librarians do to introduce students to the artistic spirit that ignites a life? Saturate classes with as many creative works as time allows. The more eclectic the selections, the greater chance we'll reach our young audiences. Picture books use visual techniques that suggest abstract themes and concepts. Always a hit with elementary students, they'll challenge upper grades by stimulating ideas and initiating student participation. We can discuss fiction that features characters struggling to affirm their creative aspirations, include literature that demonstrates creative writing styles, and select titles that naturally reflect artists' lives. Author autobiographies inspire students while novels-told-in-verse spur students' attention and move them to explore their own talents. Even if students aren't into being creative, they'll begin to respect, consider, and appreciate creativity.

The following titles barely scratch the surface of the many books that peek into the creative lives of poets, musicians, novelists, dancers, and artists. Paying attention to their lives assures that their singular dedication will continue to inspire, affect, communicate, and feed the creative spirit within all of us.–Alison Follos

Fiction

BROWNE, Anthony. Changes. illus. by author. Farrar. 2002.
K-Gr 3–All is not as obvious as it seems in these subtly shifting images. Browne is a master of painting fantasy within reality. When a new baby is about to change the scene in Joseph's house, his imagination plays havoc as he awaits her homecoming. Cushy chairs transform into ponderous gorillas and teapots meld into house cats, intensifying the meaning of "change." Use to emphasize the imaginative potential of inference and to show how artistic license enriches the ordinary.

BROWNE. Anthony. The Shape Game.illus. by author. Farrar. 2003.
K-Gr 4–With his stellar madcap style, Browne celebrates art, family ties, and good humor while applauding individual differences. This autobiographical art tour shows how his career was inspired by a trip to galleries and took root through a family doodle game. Interpreting the story-behind-the-painting has never been so much fun. A sure way to engage students, encourage them to look for unusual styles within paintings, and stir even the most reluctant artists.

NICHOL, Barbara. Beethoven Lives Upstairs. illus. by Scott Cameron. Scholastic/Orchard. 1994.
Gr 3-5–A series of fictional letters gives a glimpse of Beethoven's life. The artist boards in Christoph's home where the boy witnesses the composer's bizarre behaviors. Christoph describes his embarrassment when Beethoven is reading sheet music naked in the upstairs window, and concern when he spies the man pouring water over his head while stomping his feet to an inner orchestra of silent rhythm. One of the many gifts of this story is its compassion for tormented genius.

VAN ALLSBURG, Chris. The Mysteries of Harris Burdick. illus. by author. Houghton. 1984.
Gr 3 Up–One of America's most eminent illustrators and storytellers tells about an illustrator who took 14 paintings to a publisher and then disappeared. Each piece has a caption, but all are missing a corresponding story. The collective work is fascinating, and the mystery is intriguing. Van Allsburg's ethereal style enhances this curious fantasy. Young writers can be encouraged to create original stories to accompany the eerie artwork, making this an excellent choice to prime the balking pen.

Nonfiction

ANDREWS-GOEBEL, Nancy. The Pot That Juan Built. illus. by David Diaz. Lee & Low. 2002.
K Up–Growing up in the impoverished Mexican town of Mata Ortiz, Juan Quezada discovered pottery shards from indigenous people of long ago. For 20 years he experimented, using only the natural resources around him to re-create this lost art. Quezada's dedicated attention and success catapulted him to fame, and he spread his wealth by teaching the craft to family members and villagers. Brightly colored, stylized illustrations complement this inspirational tale of a tottering economy balanced by cultural influence, artistic expression, and enterprise. Video and audio versions available from Weston Woods.

BROWN, Don. Mack Made Movies. illus. by author. Roaring Brook. 2003.
Gr 2-5–Moving from a horse's rear end in a Vaudeville act to founding a major motion-picture studio in the early 1900s, Mack Sennett's story is one of theatrical proportions. The man had little stage talent but loved an audience. He became a pioneer in comedic entertainment taking risks with zany pie-in-the-face antics and spun his original brand of chaotic slapstick into the quickly rising movie industry. Engaging pen-and-ink drawings accompany a story that's sure to spark the hearts of misunderstood filmmaking visionaries.

CUMMINGS, Pat. Talking with Artists, Volume 2. S & S. 1995.
Gr 3-6–This resource profiles 13 contemporary illustrators of children's books, including Brian Pinkney, Vera B. Williams, and Kevin Henkes. Each segment offers an interesting autobiographical sketch. Companion interviews by Cummings answer questions from "Where do your ideas come from?" to "Do you have any children or pets?" The profiles exemplify the artists' backgrounds, ordinary or extraordinary lifestyles, and creative strengths. Illustrated with photos and drawings.

LEEDY, Loreen. Look at My Book: How Kids Can Write & Illustrate Terrific Books.illus by author. Holiday House. 2004.
Gr 2-4–With energetic, cartoon illustrations, this picture book may be the fire that sparks budding authors. It offers up clever ideas sprawling over 30 pages that swarm with practical (and doable) suggestions on how to make a book. Examples are only a jumping-off point with the emphasis placed on recognizing readers' unique styles and setting free the imagination. An indispensable tool in language-arts classrooms or workshops that encourage hands-on ingenuity.

MYERS, Walter Dean. Blues Journey. illus. by Christopher Myers. Holiday House. 2003.
Gr 4 Up–Walter Dean Myers's words mirror the traditional blues cadence to weave the downtrodden into a soulful lesson of survival. "You know the preacher climbs the mountain, but the devil gets his dues. A poor man gets his kicks, fast dancing to the blues." Chris Myers eerily conveys faces of calm and hope that belie past burdens. Images of the poor man's straight-up realities are softened by earthy tones of hushed spirits.

PANZER, Nora, ed. Celebrate America: In Poetry and Art. Hyperion. 1994.
Gr 4 Up–Similar in design to Jan Greenberg's Heart to Heart(Abrams, 2001), this title offers more than 100 poetic and artistic portrayals of our nation's multicultural riches. Poetry and art are paired to create a synergy of dynamic and rhythmic experiences. This volume will complement poetry units, jazz up American history classes, enliven art history studies, and kick up the pace in any multicultural unit.

VENEZIA, Mike. Diego Velazquez. illus. by author. Children's Press. 2004.
Gr 3-6–A master painter by the time he was a teen, this 16th-century phenomenon wowed Spain's regal court with his portrait of the royal family. This book blends the artist's character, talents, and sketches in biographical highlights of his life. Cartoon illustrations coupled with comic asides will delight young readers. Reproductions of Velazquez's paintings illuminate his strikingly realistic style.

Fiction

CREECH, Sharon. Love That Dog. HarperCollins/Joanna Cotler Books. 2001.
Gr 4-8–Written in verse, this story celebrates scaling the invisible and seemingly impenetrable obstacle of writing poetry. As a child's own poetic voice hesitantly emerges, he reveals feelings wrapped tightly within, and his poems reel unsuspecting readers in to create a deeply affecting story. Folding into the mix is the boy's excited discovery of Walter Dean Myers's poetry. Themes of sensitivity, individualism, and compassion resonate throughout.

GANTOS, Jack. Jack's New Power: Stories from a Caribbean Year. Farrar. 1995.
Gr 5-8–Gantos has written five books featuring his "alter ego" and describes these stories as "autobiographical fiction." In this title, Jack's a seventh grader and at an age where his father isn't glorified, his mother isn't romanticized, and he takes joy in being the bane of his sister's existence. Gantos zeros in on what's been steaming beneath Jack Henry's misunderstood surface forever: his quest to understand and express himself, and he celebrates Jack's separation from family and his connection to language. Simple, powerful, and irresistible.

PARK, Linda Sue. A Single Shard. Clarion. 2001.
Gr 5-8–Rich with the folklore and spiritual essence that defines a culture, this story of medieval Korea introduces a boy who hungers to apprentice with a brilliantly talented artisan. Beset with trials and sorrows, Tree-ear learns that it takes more than accomplishment to achieve emotional fulfillment. Authentic, adventurous, and heartfelt, this novel balances the consuming passion of creativity against the gifts of human companionship. Audio version available from Listening Library.

SPINELLI, Jerry. Stargirl. Knopf/Borzoi. 2000.
Gr 6-10–Stargirl is eccentric, creative, and kind. She strums her ukulele while singing in the high school cafeteria. She's the embodiment of creative optimism and wears her heart upon her sleeve. She is oblivious to the adolescent affront caused by her idiosyncrasies. Then one day she hears the whispered sneers, and Stargirl is no more. Spinelli captures the magic of individualism while encouraging readers to honor differences and avoid the traps of conformity. Audio version available from Listening Library.

THESMAN, Jean. Cattail Moon. Houghton. 1994.
Gr 7-10–Julia, a serious musician at 14, is trapped within the confines of her perfectionist mother's expectations. When Julia's stepfather supports her decision to move to her grandmother's rural house, her mother is infuriated. Tough decisions follow. Should she remain within the comfort of her new life and a budding romance, or should she return to the city to see if she has what it takes? Thesman weaves the kindred spirit of a ghost into her tale, adding a touch of Gothic mystery to a story that encourages young talents to trust their creative gifts.

TOLAN, Stephanie S. Surviving the Applewhites. HarperCollins. 2002.
Gr 5-8–Living within a powerhouse of talent, drama, and raging chaos, an orderly and systematic 12-year-old suffers in exasperated silence to endure the eccentricities of her family. When a young punk who has been booted out of every school in his home state is offered asylum within her family's home, she's had it. Her story highlights the importance of valuing individuality, balancing differences, and appreciating the oft-overlooked strengths necessary to cope when surrounded by sensational performers.

Nonfiction

GREENBERG, Jan & Sandra Jordan. Chuck Close, Up CloseDK Ink. 1998.
Gr 5 Up–For the larger-than-life portrait artist, painting is expression. Growing up with learning disabilities, Close compensated and overcame his educational obstacles. Such discipline was to serve him well later in life when at the height of his career he was paralyzed from the neck down. His tenacious and dogmatic spirit fueled his thirst for creativity as he once again triumphed over adversity. Close up photographic images of Close's work show dramatic dimension, detailed artistic progression, and the sheer enormity of his canvases.

GREENBERG, Jan. Heart to Heart: New Poems Inspired by Twentieth-Century American Art. Abrams. 2001.
Gr 5 Up–In this anthology, commissioned poets express written reflection, interpretation, and definition in response to a diverse collection of 20th-century American art covering a broad variety of styles from historic folk art to contemporary pop art. Ron Koertge, Angela Johnson, and Naomi Shihab Nye are just a few of the 43 contributors. Brief biographical sketches of the artists and poets provide helpful reference. An innovative book to integrate art history and creative writing.

GREENE, Meg. Louis Sachar. Rosen . 2004.
Gr 5-8–A practical kind of guy with an interest in math, a penchant for bridge, and a love of writing, Sachar often has no idea where his story is going, how it will end up, or what it will be called. Trusting an inner calling, he has crafted original plots and memorable personalities. This easy-to-read biography includes an interview and discussions of his books.

GRIMES, Nikki. Tai Chi Morning: Snapshots of China. illus. by Ed Young. Cricket. 2004.
Gr 6 Up–In 1988, Grimes visited six cities in China, touring with a theatrical arts group from the U.S. A mix of travelogue, sketchbook, and poetic reflections, her journal is a fine example of recording what you see and capturing how you feel. Her observations are on one page with corresponding poetic interpretations on facing pages. The exotic flavor, ancient culture, and social unrest of the country are described through her sensitive voice. Young's reedlike, pen-and-ink sketches delicately echo Grimes's observations.

HOLZHEY, Magdalena. Frida Kahlo: The Artist in the Blue House. Prestel. 2003.
Gr 5 Up–Kahlo broke through many barriers that inhibited female artists to become Mexico's most renowned female painter. Steeped in symbolism, her paintings allude to a stormy life, while Mexican roots, culture, and mythology infuse her work. The book's suggestive text teases readers into scrutinizing the full-page artwork to discover the story within each painting.

MELTZER, Milton. Langston Hughes: An Illustrated Edition. illus. by Stephen Alcorn. Millbrook. 1997.
Gr 6 Up–Hughes absorbed his history and recorded his everyday life through his poetry, and his words helped kindle the Harlem Renaissance movement. Meltzer was a friend of the poet's, and his personal touch lends poignancy to this biography. In a subtle blend of black, white, and hushed-blue tones, Alcorn's mix of post-cubism and folk art casts an imagery that magnifies the poet's life.

MYERS,Walter Dean. Bad Boy, a Memoir. HarperCollins. 2001.
Gr 8 Up–Myers's youthful misadventures speak humorously and seriously to a mass of contradictions: a love and affinity for language hampered first by an early speech impediment, and later, by sporting a too-cool armor within a tough Harlem neighborhood. A candid story about being blessed with gifts, rocked by self-doubt, and cursed with attitude, this funny and honest memoir is written with poignant literary flare.

PARTRIDGE, Elizabeth. This Land Was Made for You and Me: The Life and Songs of Woody Guthrie. Viking. 2002.
Gr 6 Up–A nomad balladeer, Guthrie rose out of the Dust Bowl bursting with unleashed talent. Peculiar and impassioned, this pioneer of folk music encapsulated the political unrest of a people with his plainspoken lyrics. Documented with black-and-white photographs of musical legends and landscapes of the times, this exceptional biography clearly and passionately kindles interest in a complicated folk hero.

PAULSEN, Gary. How Angel Peterson Got His Name: And Other Outrageous Tales about Extreme Sports. Random/Wendy Lamb Bks. 2003.
Gr 6-8–Paulsen's 13th year is recounted with a winning, maverick style that reflects the spirited antics of boys in the late 1940s and early 1950s. The author uses setting and unforgettable characters to his best advantage. He re-creates a time of creative high jinks and death-defying adventure as he revisits his youth. Separate chapters stand alone, making this a natural read-aloud to initiate journal writing and/or autobiographical essays.

RUBIN, Susan Goldman. Degas and the Dance: The Painter and the Petits Rats, Perfecting Their Art. Abrams. 2002.
Gr 5 Up–An impressionist master, Degas caught, as though in a snapshot, the agony and delicacy of ballet. He was compelled to show the grace, the gauzy costumes, the femininity, as well as the emotional and physical demands that the dance extolled. With at least 28 reproductions of his work, this book peeks into an artist's single-focus obsession to produce an artistically dramatic representation.

Fiction

DONNELLY, Jennifer. A Northern Light. Harcourt. 2003.
Gr 8 Up–In the early 1900s, a small-town girl who longs to be a writer inherits the household demands that her mother's death bestows. To escape, Mattie takes a job at an Adirondack hotel where she becomes involved in the life of a young guest who drowns. Eventually, Mattie thwarts her predetermined destiny and takes a leap of faith toward her desire for education and love of literature. Based upon a real-life murder mystery, this book blends gothic romance, historical fiction, and YA coming-of-age into one neat package. Audio version available from Listening Library.

GRIMES, Nikki. Bronx Masquerade. Dial. 2002.
Gr 9 Up–Students in an urban high school English class tell their stories through snippets of narrative-in-verse and alternating poetry. The main character is the MC spokesman, but he passes the metaphorical microphone, allowing other characters to paint independent images, sketching their own lives, speaking their own thoughts, asserting their own style. This inventive literary format encourages expression and just might have students begging for an open mike in their own classrooms.

Nonfiction

FREEDMAN, Russell. Martha Graham: A Dancer's Life. Clarion. 1998.
Gr 8 Up–Graham's story is the epitome of a creative life, and it is told through evocative photographs and sensational anecdotes. She demanded control over the choreography, musical score, set design, lighting, and literal interpretation of a story while collaborating with some of the greatest artists of her time. This riveting biography, marked by top-notch research, highlights the dedication, discipline, and sacrifice of answering a calling.

GANTOS, Jack. Hole in My Life. Farrar. 2002.
Gr 9 Up–The autobiographical account of the author's search for his magical muse is thwarted by a get-rich-quick scheme of pirating a ship of pot up the coast. Gantos takes his consequence in the dregs of prison and reinvents a plan to spring free his intellectual aspirations. This candid, vivid, and illuminating page-turner emphasizes the salvation of journaling while showing how smart choices can right wrongs. Audio version available from Listening Library.

HURSTON, Zora Neale. Dust Tracks on a Road: An Autobiography. HarperTrade. 1996. (91 is o.p.)
Adult/High School–Written 62 years ago, this autobiography still revels in the writer's fresh and genuine voice. Raised within the country's first incorporated all-black township, Hurston flourished without the oppression of color lines. Her prolific writing, brilliance in oral storytelling, and ability to capture the dialect and vernacular of Southern and Caribbean folklore all earned her academic accolades. She fanned an inner faith in herself, listened to her spiritual visions, spoke her mind, and laughed at convention.

LAMOTT, Anne. Bird by Bird. Pantheon. 1994.
Adult/High School–From tips on finding one's voice to bulldozing through the self-doubt that snuffs out ideas before they have a chance, this is the book to convince writers to take their first step. Neurotic anecdotal looks into Lamott's wacky life spice up this how-to-write book. Probably the funniest book to coax reluctant creators out of their shells.

LESTER, Julius. On Writing for Children and Other People. Dial. 2004.
Adult/High School–This introspective work spans the author's lifetime devotion to the study of self-expression, racial inequality, cultural differences, social transitions, religious affiliation, and education. Predominant through it all is his affirmation to communicate stories. "We need to share our stories because in so doing we hope to be understood, and being understood we are no longer so alone."

NELSON, Marilyn. Carver: A Life in Poems. Front St. 2001.
Gr 8 Up–George Washington Carver was a botanist, naturalist, and herbalist, and also a painter, musician, and poet as well as the first African-American student, and later teacher, at Iowa State University. His life, which was even richer than his abundant agricultural laurels, unfolds through Nelson's carefully sculpted poems, eloquent verses told in different voices that come together as a tight-knit documentary. An artful collection of black-and-white photographs help authenticate accompanying prose.