Library Notes
Rebecca Hyde – January 26, 2010

Some people may look at a picture and call it a masterpiece; others will not call it art. There is a great deal of science underlying art. The following books bridge the gap between the two.

James Elkins was a painter and is now an art historian. In “What Painting Is,” he examines the act of painting (specifically oil painting), rather than the history of the art. In other words, what is thinking in painting as opposed to thinking about painting? The thoughts of the artist are embedded in the paint, “liquid thought.” And the process of turning the thickness of paint into a picture is like the efforts of alchemists, trying to mix and mingle ingredients to produce a purified, rare substance. Elkins examines the term “hypostasis,” the feeling that something as dead as paint might also be deeply alive and full of thought. A painted window and be brilliant with light (Matisse’s open windows), but it is also a heavy mineral deposit and absolutely opaque. Or look at the brushstrokes that remain fixed in a painting for all to see: material memories of the artist at work.

Phillip Ball in “Bright Earth: Art and the Invention of Color,” understands painterly color as a language, a language of images that takes “a short cut to our senses and our emotions.” The great debate on color covers its historical traditions, psychology, prejudices, religiosity, and mysticism. Ball enters the debate through the substance of color. He has been trained as a chemist, so paint and pigments are for him materials with appearances, smells, and textures: “Vermilion conjures up the sulfur and mercury of the alchemists.” His book is a history interweaving chemical technology and the use of color in art. The demand for color spawned the modern chemical industry: “Many of the world’s major chemical companies - BASF, Bayer, Hoechst, Ciba-Geigy – began as manufacturers of synthetic dyes.” And as in the far past, painters consorted with alchemists to procure colors. Chapters range from “Secret Recipes” and the “Old Gold” of the masters’ restricted palettes to the “Reign of Light” of Impressionism and “Capturing Color” in reproduction.

Margaret Livingstone is a neurobiologist. In her book, “Vision and Art: the Biology of Seeing,” she explores the physics of light and how that visual information is processed in the brain. She is particularly interested in how our visual systems process color and luminance (or lightness) in order for us to see illusions in art. Moving from the physics of light and the structures of the eye and brain, Livingstone then explores how the techniques of great painters and, more recently, computer technology exploit the human visual system. She makes the point that art ultimately depends on the brain. If we understand that connection then we can deepen our appreciation of both the art and the science of what we see.

Library Notes/January 15, 2010
Dara L. Cain

“I Love You” Books for Children

There is not better way to show your children that you love them then by spending quality time with them. With Valentine’s Day approaching one way to that is to read with them some children’s books that remind them of how very special they are. Here are some heartfelt titles that are available at the Rowan Public Library.
In this lovely picture book, Counting Kisses by Karen Katz discover how many kisses it takes to say goodnight to the charming baby before she finally falls asleep. Count down from ten to one as each parent, grandparent, sibling, and pet lulls baby to sleep with kisses on every sweet part of her body from “ten little kisses on teeny tiny toes” to a final kiss on a “sleep, dreamy head.” This memorable counting book portrays the love a family feels for their newborn child and is perfect for reading on Valentine’s Day or any other day of the year.
Even though Little Roo, a young kangaroo is having a bad day he still knows that his mother loves him unconditionally in the picture book I Love It When You Smile by Sam McBratney. In this heart warming story Little Roo wakes up grumpy and his mother tries everything from tickling him to flipping him up head over heals into the air to try and get him to smile. A surprise ending leaves Little Roo and his mother in a “muddy-at-the-bottom hole” and that’s when “Little Roo couldn’t do anything else. He just had to…smile!”
The holiday book titled It’s Valentine’s Day by Jack Prelutsky is sure to have your children laughing. The fourteen poems included in this book are great for beginner readers who will surely be entertained. A couple of the silly poems include “Mother’s Chocolate Valentine” which is about a child who buys a box of chocolate hearts for his mother and gives her only the box because he ends up eating all the chocolate and, “My Father’s Valentine” which is about a boy who gives his father a valentine heart no bigger than the size of a bean because he kept trying to cut out a perfect heart.
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo is a beautiful story about Edward Tulane, and arrogant an selfish china rabbit who goes on a journey of self discovery. Edward who was once dearly loved and taken care of by a girl named Abilene and who he never appreciated in return is lost overboard during a sea voyage. Heartbroken and alone Edward is rescued and discovers the true meaning of love as he finds himself living with different families including a hobo and a sickly child. His journey teaches him the meaning of love and how to open your heart again after a loss.
If you want a simple introduction that explains the history and customs of Valentine’s Day to share with your child read the book Valentine’s Day Is… written and illustrated by Gail Gibbons. Gibbons starts off discussing the holiday with the ancient Romans who “celebrated the beginning of spring with a festival” and goes on to talk about Saint Valentine, the Duke of Orleans who was “the first person to make valentines,” Cupid, and the symbols and customs of the holiday. A homemade craft with instructions can also be found at the back of the book.

Erika Kosin
Library Notes
January 8th, 2010
Children’s books with Adult Appeal

Whether a picture book, fiction or non-fiction, thousands of children’s books are published each year. With many types of books geared towards different age groups available it is sometimes difficult to pinpoint which titles are meant for which age. Then there are those books that, even though they are meant for children, talk more to the parents, teachers, and librarians who would purchase them. These books usually contain well thought out stories that speak to adults on a different level than kids who may read them. Some of these stories may be found in a Children’s Chapter book, while others are full of illustrations and are marketed as picture books. Take the picture book Let Me Hold You Longer by Karen Kingsbury about a mother not wanting her child to grow up and move away. This book is geared toward the parent more than the child and children may not understand the sentimentality of the book. It deals with the emotions that parents feel as they watch their child grow up and become more independent. Here are a few examples of books written for children that appeal to adults on a variety of levels that can be found at the Rowan Public Library.

Pete & Pickles by Berkeley Breathed – ages 9 +. This picture book for older readers follows Pete, a perfectly predictable pig who lives an uncomplicated life, until one stormy night when he finds an elephant hiding in his bedroom. From then on, Pete and Pickles have many ridiculous adventures together that include swan diving off of Niagara Falls and sledding down the Matterhorn in Switzerland. This is a story of friendship that incorporates a gamut of emotions including fear, sadness, anger, and love. The beautiful illustrations enhance the story while taking inspiration from many famous works of art.

The Magician’s Elephant by Kate Dicamillo – ages 9+. Another great book from the author who brought us The Tale of Desperaux and Because of Winn Dixie, The Magician’s Elephant follows orphan Peter Augustus Duchene as he searches for an elephant after a fortune teller in the market square informs him that his sister is indeed alive and that to find her he must follow the elephant. As he tries to decipher the cryptic message about an elephant that should not exist, he struggles with the ideas of truth, faith, and the willingness to believe in the impossible. A richly layered novel, The Magicians Elephant gives readers the power of learning to believe.

Crow Call by Lois Lowry – ages 9+. A young girl named Liz goes hunting for crows with her father who also happens to be a stranger. He was off fighting in a war for many years so Liz does not know him very well but she is happy to be spending the day with him, even if it is to hunt crows. Based on real events from the authors life, this is a powerful story of longing and love between a father and a daughter separated by circumstance that adults separated from their children may be able to identify with.