Keith Haring
The Boy Who Just Kept Drawing
by Kay A. Haring
illustrated by Robert Neubecker
Dial Books for Young Readers, 2017. 40 pages.
Starred Review
This picture book is a biography of artist Keith Haring written by his sister. She writes a note at the back:
I wrote this story to answer the question I’m always asked, “What was Keith like as a kid?” The answer is, “HE WAS ALWAYS DRAWING!”
She gets that across in the book, with the words “he just kept drawing” showing up as a refrain on most spreads.
The artist does a great job capturing the spirit of Keith Haring’s work. His unsophisticated but intricate lines are something that naturally appeal to children, and keeping that spirit works wonderfully in a picture book.
The book begins:
When he was little, his father taught him how to draw dogs and fish and funny things. His dad would draw a line. Then Keith would draw one. Soon, the whole page would be full.
From that time on, Keith never stopped drawing.
The story gives us some highlights of his short life. He’d even do murals with children. He’d draw in chalk on black spaces in subway stations.
At the end of the book, she gives Keith’s answers to these questions:
“WHY do you draw all the time?
WHY do you give your artwork away?
WHY do you draw on buildings, on people, on clothing, on furniture, on subway walls, on cars, on skateboards, on walls that belong to no one, and on things to be thrown away?
WHY do you draw on EVERYTHING??”Keith stopped drawing, just for a moment, and answered.
“I draw all the time because there are many spaces to fill. I give my drawings away to help make the world a better place. I draw everywhere because EVERYONE needs art!!”
kayharing.com
www.neubeckerbooks.com
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Source: This review is based on a library book from Fairfax County Public Library.
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