Part of the bestselling “The Questioneers” series that includes Ada Twist, Scientist, this volume is a companion to Aaron Slater, Illustrator (but also recaps the story from it, for readers who may want that). Aaron has dyslexia and struggles with reading, but expresses himself through art, making him the perfect Questioneer to star in this fun project/activity book (which uses a dyslexia-friendly font).
The book offers readers an inspiring variety of activities, games, project ideas, and more. There are prompts (and space) for drawings; information about real-life artists and their art; and activities that teach about artistic concepts, like color and composition. Some activities are on the page; others are prompts to go observe the real world. What elevates this above many kids’ activity books, however, are its themes of the power of art and what it means to be an artist.
“Artists Ask Questions,” “Artists Are Leaders,” “Artists Are Observant,” “Artists Are Persistent,” and “Artists Use Their Imaginations” are some of the headers that introduce those concepts with real-life examples drawn from other artists, history, science, and more. “What problem (or problems) do you want people to think about?” it asks readers at one point. “How can you draw people’s attention to the problem through art?”
Many pages include examples of real art, from traditional paintings to contemporary videos, and encourage readers to “see things in a new way,” ask questions, and otherwise respond with their own feelings and creations. Architecture, postage stamps, coins, and even traffic signs are also used as examples of art in the world.
Readers are also encouraged to experiment, using different drawing tools in each of many boxes on a page, for example, to try out cross-hatching or stippling techniques, to be observant about shadows, learn about perspective, and to match colors with the feeling(s) they inspire.
One real artist profiled in the book is Cleve Jones, creator of the AIDS Memorial Quilt. We learn a little about the AIDS epidemic and its impact on gay men and African American communities. Jones used art “to make people understand how terrible this epidemic was” when the initial response to fighting it was slow. Another artist shown is Claude Cahun, “a French artist and a freedom fighter who used photography to explore ideas about gender identity” during World War II. “Sadly, the silencing of artistic voices still happens in some places around the globe,” the book tells us. “Pay attention when people want to stop art. It can be a sign that they want to control others.” That’s a powerful and timely message.
Overall, we see that art is as varied as artists; that there is no one “right” way to do art, and that art and artists have had a widespread impact on the world at large. “Artists question the world around them and ask why things are the way they are and how they can be better. They seek truth. Artists think about problems. Their art makes other people think, too,” the book tells us, while also engaging young readers in this endeavor.
This is a book full of thought-provoking fun that would make a wonderful gift for aspiring artists as well as children who may not (yet) think of themselves as artists. That it’s queer-inclusive is an extra bonus.
Aaron is Black, as is one of his moms; the other has light brown skin and long dark hair.
