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Wanda Gag: Storybook Artist
Famous for her elegantly written and whimsically illustrated children’s books Millions of Cats, The Funny Thing, Snippy and Snappy, and Tales from Grimm, Wanda Gág (1893–1946) lived a life not unlike that of the characters in the German fairy tales that her grandparents told her as a girl.
In a new biography for young readers, award-winning author Gwenyth Swain brings the visionary and eccentric artist to life. Swain takes readers into Wanda’s girlhood in rural Minnesota, where, from an early age, her artistic talents flourished. Yet Wanda, the eldest of seven siblings, was pushed abruptly into adulthood when her father’s untimely death left her in charge of the household. After years of struggle, Wanda Gág was finally able to go to New York to pursue her passion. Her art was eventually featured at top galleries and her books, influenced by her love of nature and animals, became wildly popular among children and critics across the United States. Complemented by Wanda’s illustrations, letters, and diary entries, Wanda Gág: Storybook Artist illuminates for young readers the amazing life of a charismatic artist who triumphed over adversity to realize her dreams.
In a new biography for young readers, award-winning author Gwenyth Swain brings the visionary and eccentric artist to life. Swain takes readers into Wanda’s girlhood in rural Minnesota, where, from an early age, her artistic talents flourished. Yet Wanda, the eldest of seven siblings, was pushed abruptly into adulthood when her father’s untimely death left her in charge of the household. After years of struggle, Wanda Gág was finally able to go to New York to pursue her passion. Her art was eventually featured at top galleries and her books, influenced by her love of nature and animals, became wildly popular among children and critics across the United States. Complemented by Wanda’s illustrations, letters, and diary entries, Wanda Gág: Storybook Artist illuminates for young readers the amazing life of a charismatic artist who triumphed over adversity to realize her dreams.
- GenresBiography
112 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
21 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
October 28, 2018
Now I have certainly from a general thematic and content-based point of departure very much appreciated Gwyneth Swain's Wanda Gág: Storybook Artist, as the author has in my opinion for the most part deftly (and without too much overly emotional exaggeration) managed to portray Wanda Gág as to who and what she was and to also glowingly demonstrate not only the many highlights but also the numerous lowlights of her life and career as both artist/illustrator and children's literature author (how Wanda Gág's artistic development was achieved, and especially, how supportive her own family always was towards her and that especially her artist father Anton was never critical of her penchant for daydreaming and openly, actively encouraged his daughter's drawing manias but always with the admonishment that Wanda should compose her own pictures, that she should draw and sketch what was in her mind, what she observed and never simply copy and imitate the work of others).
With Gwyneth Swain's text accompanied by numerous archival photographs, as well as a goodly number of examples of Wanda Gág's own artwork (and thankfully not just from her illustrated children's books), an appreciated (and to and for me always necessary and important with regard to non fiction) glossary, chronology, source notes and last but not least a detailed and well organised into individual sections bibliography, in many ways Wanda Gág: Storybook Artist is a wonderful and often even perfect general introduction to Wanda Gág's life, career and times (not only for older children above the age of twelve or so but also for interested adults).
And main reason I am granting a three and not a four star ranking to Wanda Gág: Storybook Artist is that personally, there are a few informational gaps which I for one would like to have seen filled in and dealt with (such as for example, some details on whether Wanada Gág and her family, seeing that they were German speaking and according to Gwyneth Swain also staunchly against WWI faced much anti-German animosity and bigotry in New Ulm, Minnesota due to their ethnic, cultural background and obvious pacifism), and that there are indeed also a few to and for me potentially disconcerting issues with Gwyneth Swain's writing style and vocabulary choices (like the author claiming how Wanda's father, how Anton Gág somehow looked like a "typical" artist and even more frustratingly and annoyingly, her making the rather majorly strange authorial remark regarding Wanda Gág's death of lung cancer in 1946 at the comparatively young age of just fifty-three that "even Wanda could not live forever").
With Gwyneth Swain's text accompanied by numerous archival photographs, as well as a goodly number of examples of Wanda Gág's own artwork (and thankfully not just from her illustrated children's books), an appreciated (and to and for me always necessary and important with regard to non fiction) glossary, chronology, source notes and last but not least a detailed and well organised into individual sections bibliography, in many ways Wanda Gág: Storybook Artist is a wonderful and often even perfect general introduction to Wanda Gág's life, career and times (not only for older children above the age of twelve or so but also for interested adults).
And main reason I am granting a three and not a four star ranking to Wanda Gág: Storybook Artist is that personally, there are a few informational gaps which I for one would like to have seen filled in and dealt with (such as for example, some details on whether Wanada Gág and her family, seeing that they were German speaking and according to Gwyneth Swain also staunchly against WWI faced much anti-German animosity and bigotry in New Ulm, Minnesota due to their ethnic, cultural background and obvious pacifism), and that there are indeed also a few to and for me potentially disconcerting issues with Gwyneth Swain's writing style and vocabulary choices (like the author claiming how Wanda's father, how Anton Gág somehow looked like a "typical" artist and even more frustratingly and annoyingly, her making the rather majorly strange authorial remark regarding Wanda Gág's death of lung cancer in 1946 at the comparatively young age of just fifty-three that "even Wanda could not live forever").
June 2, 2014
A decent overview of Gag's life and the important part of her story. Also, the first official verification that this author did indeed board with my family (the Roigers) while teaching near Springfield. More research is needed to find out exactly who that was!
July 11, 2019
Engaging young adult version of the story of Wanda Gag, New Ulm's most famous children's author/artist. I should have read this book long before it was written, as there were many things about our local celebrity that I didn't know until now.
**Unfortunately, the only person who commented on the book I was reading gave me a blank stare when I said it was a biography of Wanda Gag, even after I questioned her with, "You know, Millions of Cats?" She obviously didn't know.
**Unfortunately, the only person who commented on the book I was reading gave me a blank stare when I said it was a biography of Wanda Gag, even after I questioned her with, "You know, Millions of Cats?" She obviously didn't know.
July 22, 2019
Nice little story on hometown artist Wanda Gag. Not quite as indepth as Growing Pains but pretty much sums up her work in a more condensed version!
November 29, 2012
I loved this. (Super cute hairdo on the cover, too!). Wonderful story of the writer/illustrator of one of my favorite children's books ever, Millions of Cats. It led me to some of the other picture books, wish I had known those earlier! Always nice to know that the great skills of a young girl also got her through her adult life; complete with true love and a farm house full of family (sibs) and gallery showings in New York. I'm thankful for this snapshot, will continue to read more about her.
August 29, 2015
I enjoyed learning about the life of one of my favorite artists and illustrators. Good book especially for any girl interested in being an artist.
August 18, 2022
It's a book for "young readers" but I enjoyed it. A fast way to learn about this artist/author, with lots of illustrations including photographs of Gag and her family, which despite being poorly reproduced B&W images were still interesting to see.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews