Following My Paint Brush

Gr 1—3—This unusual picture book depicts Indian artist Dulari Devi's transformation from housekeeper to artist. The text, based on her own oral narrative, features Devi's paintings throughout and describes the woman's life of monotonous menial labor until she discovered a hidden talent. Done in typical Mithila style, people and animals are depicted in profile with large eyes, and objects and people are thickly outlined in black. Though white space abounds in the background and in the faces and bodies of characters, rich hues of red, green, yellow and orange infuse the book with color. While pleasing to the eye, the illustrations don't convey emotions: there is no difference in terms of color, characters' facial expressions, or composition between scenes depicting Devi's impoverished childhood and her moments of joy upon becoming a painter. The quality of illustrations is inconsistent. The intricate patterns on a bird's feathers or the leaves of a tree are appealing, but the book's cover features an image of a "bad lad" smoking where the object that he awkwardly grips isn't readily apparent as a cigarette. The text relies heavily on ellipses and exclamation points in an unsuccessful attempt to create feelings of surprise and delight. Though Devi's story is poignant, the dull phrasing won't hold children's attention for long. The images alone are potentially useful for lessons on art from another culture, and those looking for books specifically on Mithila painting may find it worthwhile.—Mahnaz Dar, formerly at Convent of the Sacred Heart, New York City