Wednesday, October 19, 2016

Loving Photographs



              Thanks to Alyson Beecher's Non-Fiction Picture Book Challenge at Kidlit Frenzy, those who link up share fabulous non-fiction picture books. I am grateful for all that I've learned through reading non-fiction picture books. 

I finally received this from my library. It had many holds, hopefully giving hope to children who are "antsy" in school as Ansel Adams was. Fortunately his father went against convention and understood that his "wiggly" son, often in trouble in school, needed to be active and outside in a lively place so he could be "antsy". Ansel's father pulled him out of school and hired a tutor and a piano teacher. Ansel was finally free to spend a lot of time on the dunes where they lived near the Golden Gate bridge. He loved nature, a hint of how much of its beauty he captured later with a camera.
     There were other inspirations as he grew up, but seemingly the biggest was a first visit to Yosemite, and the surprise gift of a camera. One could say he was "captured" by it, as he later "captured" his photo subjects.
           Ansel returned to Yosemite often, eventually meeting and marrying a young woman whose family lived there, and making it their home, too.
      I loved the illustrations which are a mix of collage paintings that include some of the sites Ansel photographed. There is a detailed piece about Ansel Adams and a list of resources in the back matter.

8 comments:

  1. I need to read this book, Linda. Thanks for suggesting it to me. Nature is awesome and never fails to inspire me.

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    1. It is a great introduction to this important man, Carol. I hope you enjoy it!

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  2. Looking forward to this one, I have it checked out from the library! I glanced through it this weekend, I was glad to see a few pieces of his work in the back.

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    1. The focus is on his "antsy" childhood and what saved him from the toughness of traditional schools, Michele. Including who he became, it will be a good story to share with a class for inspiration and support. Thanks!

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  3. I'm excited about all the nonfiction picture books out right now about photographs and photographers. I'm doing a 4th grade workshop next week about how to use photographs in research. We live in a very visual world, and I think it's time that we think carefully with kids about how to interpret that visual evidence.

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    1. And thanks for nominating Mountain Chef for the Cybils! I love that award and am thrilled to be on the list.

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    2. You're welcome, Annette. I loved the story of Mountain Chef and it was a choice I wanted to make. How great that you are doing a photography research project to help them choose wisely something that will enhance their research, and be "okay" to use. I've had students study photography in my past and wish I'd had this book to show how the passions begin.

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  4. So looking forward to this one! As an antsy child myself, I love this celebration of life lived outside the box.

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