{"id":32859,"date":"2018-11-03T22:03:53","date_gmt":"2018-11-04T02:03:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=32859"},"modified":"2018-11-03T22:03:53","modified_gmt":"2018-11-04T02:03:54","slug":"review-of-keith-haring-the-boy-who-just-kept-drawing-by-kay-a-haring","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=32859","title":{"rendered":"Review of Keith Haring: The Boy Who Just Kept Drawing, by Kay A. Haring"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Keith Haring<\/p>\n

The Boy Who Just Kept Drawing<\/em><\/p>\n

by Kay A. Haring
\nillustrated by Robert Neubecker<\/p>\n

Dial Books for Young Readers, 2017. 40 pages.
\nStarred Review<\/p>\n

This picture book is a biography of artist Keith Haring written by his sister. She writes a note at the back:<\/p>\n

I wrote this story to answer the question I\u2019m always asked, \u201cWhat was Keith like as a kid?\u201d The answer is, \u201cHE WAS ALWAYS DRAWING!\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

She gets that across in the book, with the words \u201che just kept drawing\u201d showing up as a refrain on most spreads.<\/p>\n

The artist does a great job capturing the spirit of Keith Haring\u2019s work. His unsophisticated but intricate lines are something that naturally appeal to children, and keeping that spirit works wonderfully in a picture book.<\/p>\n

The book begins:<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

From that time on, Keith never stopped drawing.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The story gives us some highlights of his short life. He\u2019d even do murals with children. He\u2019d draw in chalk on black spaces in subway stations.<\/p>\n

At the end of the book, she gives Keith\u2019s answers to these questions:<\/p>\n

\u201cWHY do you draw all the time?
\nWHY do you give your artwork away?
\nWHY 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?
\nWHY do you draw on EVERYTHING??\u201d<\/p>\n

Keith stopped drawing, just for a moment, and answered.
\n\u201cI 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!!\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

kayharing.com<\/a>
\nwww.neubeckerbooks.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Buy from Amazon.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Find this review on Sonderbooks<\/a> at: www.sonderbooks.com\/Childrens_Nonfiction\/keith_haring.html<\/a><\/p>\n

Disclosure: I am an Amazon Affiliate, and will earn a small percentage if you order a book on Amazon after clicking through from my site.<\/p>\n

Source: This review is based on a library book from Fairfax County Public Library.<\/p>\n

Disclaimer: I am a professional librarian, but I maintain my website and blogs on my own time. The views expressed are solely my own, and in no way represent the official views of my employer or of any committee or group of which I am part.<\/p>\n

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