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Jan Greenberg
Jan's three daughters, Lynne, Jeanne, and Jackie, influenced her decision to write for young readers. "Teenagers are the most interesting people I know. There is no other period in one's life when certain emotions - joy, sadness, or anger - seem so intense. Now that my own children are grown, I receive wonderful ideas from young readers across the country. Of course I can still draw on autobiographical material."
Over the years, Jan has taught creative writing and art appreciation in the St. Louis public schools and at several colleges, including Webster University. "In the early seventies my husband and I began collecting contemporary American art. Soon our rambling, old house was filled with bright canvases, the lawn with large steel sculpture." At about that time, the Greenbergs opened a contemporary art gallery. "The energy and excitement stimulated by my contact with artists who came to show at the gallery inspired me to write and develop my own skills."
Her work in art education, her conversations with artists, and her love of "looking at art" formed the basis of her recent books about American art and architecture. She enjoys traveling around the country interviewing artists, hearing their stories and making connections between their lives and their work.
"A book is never a figment of imagination,ä she says. ãIt begins as a stomach ache, a slight quiver of discomfort. It's like falling in and out of love. If the feeling is strong enough, a book may evolve. Or maybe not. But when something happens and a year later I'm holding a new book in my hand, I want to jump up and down, throw confetti, and stop everyone on the street, and say, 'Look what I've done!' "
 VINCENT VAN GOGH: PORTRAIT OF AN ARTIST
Ages 10 and up. Sibert Honor Book 2001
"An exceptional biography that reveals the humanity behind the myth." Booklist (starred review) "This outstanding, well-researched biography is fascinating reading." School Library Journal (starred review) "Stellar art writers Greenberg and Jordan . . . turn to their first portrait for older readers, with excellent results." The Bulletin (starred review) Now available in paperback.
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 ACTION JACKSON
Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan Illustrated by Robert Andrew Parker Grades 2 - 5. Booklist Best Books 2002
Starred reviews: Booklist, Kirkus, School Library Journal, Horn Book, Bulletin for Children's Books, and Publisher's Weekly "Action Jackson" was Jackson Pollock's nickname, and this picture-book biography describes how this "athlete with a paintbrush" made one of his most famous works: the "drip painting" titled Lavender Mist. Using spare, lyrical words, the authors layer the exciting story with deep observations about what art is, how it is made, and why Pollock was so extraordinary.
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 CHUCK CLOSE UP CLOSE
DK Ink Ages 10 and up. Norman A. Sugarman Biography Award
" This ideal example of an artist biography . . . inspires readers to consider the possibilities of their own creativity." Starred review, Publisher's Weekly
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 FRANK O. GEHRY OUTSIDE IN
DK Ink Ages 10 and up. This biography tells the story of the architect who designed the acclaimed Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain. "..an exciting, freewheeling mix of biography and architectural primer." Starred review, Kirkus " . . . a journey through the creative process . . . one of the best introductions to architecture that we have." New York Times
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 HEART TO HEART:
New Poems Inspired by Twentieth Century American Art
Harry N Abrams, Inc. Ages 10 and up. Printz Honor Book 2001
This collection of poetry by forty-three distinguished American poets is inspired by modern American art. The poems highlight not only the diversity of the artworks, but also explore the story of our national experience. Whether playful or challenging, humorous or sad, each poem celebrates the power of art to inspire language. Now available in paperback.
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Contact Naomi Williamson.
E-Mail: williamson@libserv.cmsu.edu
Website: http://library.cmsu.edu/children.htm
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