Blog Tour ~ Ablaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas by Jeanny Walker Harvey + Loveis Wise ~ Review

Blog Tour ~ Ablaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas by Jeanny Walker Harvey + Loveis Wise ~ Review

Morning!

Jeanne Walker Harvey, Loveis Wise, Picture Book, Children's Books, Non-Fiction, Ablaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas

Welcome all! A colourful welcome to the Ablaze with Color Blog Tour! The book is written by Jeanne Walker Harvey and illustrated by Loveis Wise and I am just SO hyped to be part!!!

For today’s post I got a 4.5 starred review + book/author information + a giveaway (you can win a classroom set of the book which will be personalized/authographed). Yep, a packed post~

Let’s get started~

Review

I received this book from The Children’s Book Review + Jeanne Walker Harvey in exchange of an honest review. A big thanks for allowing me to read this book!

I had never heard of Alma Thomas, so I was very eager to read this book, plus the art looked fun and I love the colours! So imagine my happiness when I was chosen to review this book for The Children’s Book Review’s tour! Eep!

In this book we meet Alma Thomas, a Black woman born in the US during the time when being Black meant a lot of restrictions. From schooling to libraries and more. It just breaks my heart each time I read about it. It is terrible that there was a time when this happened, and that even now Black people are still not safe in the US. 🙁

So I was delighted with Alma’s parents who tried all their best to bring out the best things in their children despite the restrictions, despite how the world is. From making sure there are books and home education to letting their children do anything from pottery to sewing. Later they make a big decision that will open way to more possibilities! Really, the best parent award goes to these two people.

I loved reading how Alma went into art and how she did a lot of awesome and amazing things for children. And she also did a lot with her art and helped out those who made art. She is so inspirational and I was just amazed! I definitely need to read more about this woman and see her art! I am very interested in her later phase, when she was older and went to focus on her own art. I want to see those bright colours and patterns. And while writing this review I actually went to Google to check them out, haha, I just couldn’t wait and I am AMAZED even further. The illustrator really did a great job capturing them in her style!

The illustrations are just top notch and fit so well with Alma and her art. Love love how colourful, bright it is. Even in the times that maybe weren’t always the happiest.

I am giving extra points to the author + illustrator’s note and that we even get a timeline!

All in all, a very inspirational read and I learned a lot of new things and found a new artist whose work I would love to see in real life! Recommended to all!

Star rating, 4.5 stars


Jeanne Walker Harvey, Loveis Wise, Picture Book, Children's Books, Non-Fiction, Ablaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma ThomasAges 4-8 | 40 Pages

Publisher: HarperCollins | ISBN-13: 9780063021891

Celebrate the life-changing power of art in this inspiring and stunningly illustrated picture book biography of American artist Alma Thomas.

Meet an incredible woman who broke down barriers throughout her whole life and is now known as one of the most preeminent painters of the 20th century. Told from the point of view of young Alma Thomas, readers can follow along as she grows into her discovery of the life-changing power of art.

As a child in Georgia, Alma Thomas loved to spend time outside, soaking up the colors around her. And her parents filled their home with color and creativity despite the racial injustices they faced. After the family moved to Washington DC, Alma shared her passion for art by teaching children. When she was almost seventy years old, she focused on her own artwork, inspired by nature and space travel.

In this celebration of art and the power of imagination, Jeanne Walker Harvey and Loveis Wise tell the incredible true story of Alma Thomas, the first Black woman to have a solo exhibition at the Whitney Museum in New York City and to have her work chosen for the White House collection. With her bold and vibrant abstract paintings, Alma set the world ablaze with color.

Ablaze with Color includes extensive backmatter with photos, an author’s and illustrator’s note, a timeline, and a list of sources and resources, which will be a great tool for parents, educators, and librarians. Perfect for Women’s History Month and Black History Month units alongside such favorites as Malala’s Magic Pencil, Hidden Figures, and Mae Among the Stars.

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Buy this book here: Amazon

About the author:

Jeanne Walker HarveyJeanne Walker Harvey has been a longtime docent at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Just like Alma Thomas, Jeanne believes that art brings us joy. Her other picture books include Maya Lin: Artist-Architect of Light and Lines and My Hands Sing the Blues: Romare Bearden’s Childhood Journey. Jeanne studied literature and psychology at Stanford University. She lives in Northern California.

Find her here:     

About the illustrator:

Loveis WiseLoveis Wise is an illustrator and designer from Washington, DC. They are currently based in Los Angeles and their work often speaks to themes of joy and liberation. Their work can be found through the New Yorker, Google, Adobe, and the New York Times.

Find her here:  
Ablaze with Color: Book Giveaway
This Blog Tour was organized by:
The Children's Book Review, Glasses, Book, Plant, Logo

2 thoughts on “Blog Tour ~ Ablaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas by Jeanny Walker Harvey + Loveis Wise ~ Review

  1. Thanks so much Mehsi for your review! I truly appreciate your kind words. And I loved that you said you needed to Google Alma Thomas’ paintings when you were writing the review. That’s just what I hope — that the book sparks interest in Alma and her life and her artwork.
    Best, Jeanne Walker Harvey

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