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Breaking Waves: Winslow Homer Paints the Sea
When Winslow Homer watches the sea, he studies it patiently, making sure to notice every detail before bringing it to life again in his paintings.
The fabled painter Winslow Homer always had a deep respect for the elemental power and beauty of the ever-changing ocean. Whenever he set up his easel, he was drawn back to its frothing waves smashing against rocks, gleaming like mirrors in the sunlight. He knew it took patience to get his painting just right to capture the life of the ocean.
Breaking Waves: Winslow Homer Paints the Sea describes the artist's process from season to season, readers are shown the many blues, greys, browns, and golds that Winslow Homer used to depict the changing sea. Additional content in the back of the book further explains his work and passion for the ocean.
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
The fabled painter Winslow Homer always had a deep respect for the elemental power and beauty of the ever-changing ocean. Whenever he set up his easel, he was drawn back to its frothing waves smashing against rocks, gleaming like mirrors in the sunlight. He knew it took patience to get his painting just right to capture the life of the ocean.
Breaking Waves: Winslow Homer Paints the Sea describes the artist's process from season to season, readers are shown the many blues, greys, browns, and golds that Winslow Homer used to depict the changing sea. Additional content in the back of the book further explains his work and passion for the ocean.
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection
40 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 2021
1 person is currently reading
66 people want to read
About the author
Robert Burleigh
73 books47 followersOver the past 35 years, I have published poems, reviews, essays, many filmstrips and videos, and more than 40 children's picture books.
Born and raised in Chicago, I graduated from DePauw University (Greencastle, Indiana) and later received an MA in humanities from the University of Chicago. I've published books for children since the early 1990s. My books - including numerous unpublished ones! - run a broad gamut, from stories geared for pre-schoolers to survival stories and biographies aimed at seven to eleven-year-olds. My work is wide-ranging because, basically, I'm a generalist by experience - and inclination!
In addition to writing, I paint regularly under the art name Burleigh Kronquist and have shown work in one-person and group shows in Chicago, New York, and elsewhere around the country.
-from robertburleigh.com
Born and raised in Chicago, I graduated from DePauw University (Greencastle, Indiana) and later received an MA in humanities from the University of Chicago. I've published books for children since the early 1990s. My books - including numerous unpublished ones! - run a broad gamut, from stories geared for pre-schoolers to survival stories and biographies aimed at seven to eleven-year-olds. My work is wide-ranging because, basically, I'm a generalist by experience - and inclination!
In addition to writing, I paint regularly under the art name Burleigh Kronquist and have shown work in one-person and group shows in Chicago, New York, and elsewhere around the country.
-from robertburleigh.com
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
August 16, 2021
Breaking Waves: Winslow Homer Paints the Sea is a children's picture book by Robert Burleigh and illustrated by Wendell Minor. It emphasizes 19th-century American artist Winslow Homer's life in Prouts Neck, Maine and explores his love of painting the ocean.
Winslow Homer was an American landscape painter and printmaker, best known for his marine subjects. He is considered one of the foremost painters in 19th-century America and a preeminent figure in American art.
Burleigh's text is rather simplistic, straightforward, and informative. Burleigh lyrically cycles through the seasons and the sea's changing moods as perceived by the artist Winslow Homer and punctuated by direct quotes from the artist, presented in italics. Backmatter gives further detail about Homer's life and travels, taking care to note his paintings that include African Americans. Minor's realistic depictions of Homer's spare and tidy domestic world and prim suiting situate the story in time, while the looser, more expressive evocations of the untamed Maine coastline evoke place.
The premise of the book is rather straightforward. It captures Winslow Homer's creative process, repeating the imperative – a clue to Homer's faith in acute and careful observation, and a cue to the reader to engage with Minor's watercolor and gouache illustrations. The closing section, dotted with exclamations and painting reproductions, fills in biographical details.
All in all, Breaking Waves: Winslow Homer Paints the Sea is a solid introduction to a major American artist.
Winslow Homer was an American landscape painter and printmaker, best known for his marine subjects. He is considered one of the foremost painters in 19th-century America and a preeminent figure in American art.
Burleigh's text is rather simplistic, straightforward, and informative. Burleigh lyrically cycles through the seasons and the sea's changing moods as perceived by the artist Winslow Homer and punctuated by direct quotes from the artist, presented in italics. Backmatter gives further detail about Homer's life and travels, taking care to note his paintings that include African Americans. Minor's realistic depictions of Homer's spare and tidy domestic world and prim suiting situate the story in time, while the looser, more expressive evocations of the untamed Maine coastline evoke place.
The premise of the book is rather straightforward. It captures Winslow Homer's creative process, repeating the imperative – a clue to Homer's faith in acute and careful observation, and a cue to the reader to engage with Minor's watercolor and gouache illustrations. The closing section, dotted with exclamations and painting reproductions, fills in biographical details.
All in all, Breaking Waves: Winslow Homer Paints the Sea is a solid introduction to a major American artist.
March 14, 2022
"When you paint, try to put down exactly what you see. Whatever else you have to offer will come out anyway."
This book basically involves Homer's study of the sea, and his attempts to recreate what he sees. The story moves through the seasons, and Wendell Minor's lovely artwork beautifully captures the changing moods of the ocean.
Slowly the painting shifts as layers of gray, white, and yellow magically transform into waves.
The painting is still - yet full of motion.
How can paint and canvas ever tell the true story of the vast and ever-changing ocean?
Though a lovely book about art, AND the process of creating art, I suspect this will have limited appeal for children.
This book basically involves Homer's study of the sea, and his attempts to recreate what he sees. The story moves through the seasons, and Wendell Minor's lovely artwork beautifully captures the changing moods of the ocean.
Slowly the painting shifts as layers of gray, white, and yellow magically transform into waves.
The painting is still - yet full of motion.
How can paint and canvas ever tell the true story of the vast and ever-changing ocean?
Though a lovely book about art, AND the process of creating art, I suspect this will have limited appeal for children.
September 12, 2021
The LORD used this beautiful children's picture book to remind me of His constant loving presence. I had looked up a song on youtube based on Psalm 130 and it was playing as I read. The artist in the story, watching the sea, took out his notebook and wrote something that didn't seem to fit: "You must wait, and wait patiently". At that exact moment, the song sang: "I will wait for you, on your word I will rely, I will wait for you until my soul is satisfied". It moved me deeply.
June 27, 2021
‘When you paint try to put down exactly what you see. Whatever else you have to offer will come out anyway.’
A solid and sensitive portrayal of Winslow Homer, what motivated and interested him as an artist and how he approached the subject matter that most captivated him: the sea. Seasons and the sounds and elemental realities of Proutt’s Neck make frequent appearance as readers follow Homer’s process.
A solid and sensitive portrayal of Winslow Homer, what motivated and interested him as an artist and how he approached the subject matter that most captivated him: the sea. Seasons and the sounds and elemental realities of Proutt’s Neck make frequent appearance as readers follow Homer’s process.
February 5, 2022
A little more literary than we prefer our picture book biographies to be.
September 7, 2021
This beautiful picture book biography is replete with stunning watercolors and reproductions of Winslow Homer's work.
The text told the story of his struggle to produce the paintings he so desired to be a continuation of the sea he saw before him. 🌊 I liked his included quotations (such as, "All is lovely outside my house and inside my house and myself.") and his quest for solitude so he could work.
He is one of my favorite artists whom we have studied so far, and this book pairs beautifully with the Homer Picture Study Portfolio by Emily Kiser. 🎨🖌
The text told the story of his struggle to produce the paintings he so desired to be a continuation of the sea he saw before him. 🌊 I liked his included quotations (such as, "All is lovely outside my house and inside my house and myself.") and his quest for solitude so he could work.
He is one of my favorite artists whom we have studied so far, and this book pairs beautifully with the Homer Picture Study Portfolio by Emily Kiser. 🎨🖌
Want to read
March 25, 2021Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.
July 20, 2021
Poetic, with lovely illustrations, but I'm struggling to see the kid appeal here.
May 5, 2022
Winslow Homer, born in 1836, became a famous American landscape painter and printmaker, best known for his marine subjects. He is considered one of the foremost painters in 19th-century America and a preeminent figure in American art, and he was largely self-taught.
The author addresses the question that interested Homer and will interest readers as well: how can paint and canvas tell the true story of what you see before you? Burleigh writes that Winslow didn’t know the answer, but knew he must keep trying to find it with respect to ocean views.
He never tired of wandering the coast in Prouts Neck, Maine, and gazing at the ocean, noticing all of its changes throughout the year. He moved between the coast and his studio, trying to capture what he saw.
Although there is narration that includes quotes from Homer’s diaries, most of the story is told through the gorgeous watercolors of Wendell Minor. Homer used watercolors on a regular basis (albeit not exclusively), and is considered to have had a revolutionary impact on its use as a medium.
Minor’s illustrations mimic Homer’s palette and effectively show different aspects of the shore that so fascinated Homer.
Backmatter includes “More About Winslow Homer” (notably, unlike many author’s notes, written in a style accessible to younger readers), a bibliography, and a hypertext-linked guide to where to see his work.
Evaluation: This introduction to a great American artist for kids 4 and over also serves as a look at how artists work, and indeed, how hard they work, in order to create something out of what inspires them.
The author addresses the question that interested Homer and will interest readers as well: how can paint and canvas tell the true story of what you see before you? Burleigh writes that Winslow didn’t know the answer, but knew he must keep trying to find it with respect to ocean views.
He never tired of wandering the coast in Prouts Neck, Maine, and gazing at the ocean, noticing all of its changes throughout the year. He moved between the coast and his studio, trying to capture what he saw.
Although there is narration that includes quotes from Homer’s diaries, most of the story is told through the gorgeous watercolors of Wendell Minor. Homer used watercolors on a regular basis (albeit not exclusively), and is considered to have had a revolutionary impact on its use as a medium.
Minor’s illustrations mimic Homer’s palette and effectively show different aspects of the shore that so fascinated Homer.
Backmatter includes “More About Winslow Homer” (notably, unlike many author’s notes, written in a style accessible to younger readers), a bibliography, and a hypertext-linked guide to where to see his work.
Evaluation: This introduction to a great American artist for kids 4 and over also serves as a look at how artists work, and indeed, how hard they work, in order to create something out of what inspires them.
October 31, 2021
If you are looking for a straight forward biography of Winslow Homer, this is not the book although the back matter offers ample biographical information. If you are looking for a description of a great artist's approach and artistic philosophy, then THIS the book you want. If you want a book that offers a tribute to the work of a truly great American artist, this is also that book.
Burleigh's lyrical prose chronicles a year of painting at Homer's beloved Proust Neck home and studio. He paints a verbal picture as sensory as Homer's gorgeous seascapes and the story for me was totally absorbing. Wendall Minor's watercolor and gouache illustrations are a perfect accompaniment to each description and a feast for the eye. The combination of the two art forms results is a stunningly effective book.
This is a book for a slightly older reader and one with an interest in art and the creation of art. It would be a wonderful addition to a high school art class collection as well.
Back matter includes more information about Winslow Homer, reproductions of some of his paintings and locations of where they can be seen along with a bibliography. I put this book down yearning to go see Homer's work in person. Proust Neck, the restored studio there and the Portland Museum are now high on my list of places to visit!
Burleigh's lyrical prose chronicles a year of painting at Homer's beloved Proust Neck home and studio. He paints a verbal picture as sensory as Homer's gorgeous seascapes and the story for me was totally absorbing. Wendall Minor's watercolor and gouache illustrations are a perfect accompaniment to each description and a feast for the eye. The combination of the two art forms results is a stunningly effective book.
This is a book for a slightly older reader and one with an interest in art and the creation of art. It would be a wonderful addition to a high school art class collection as well.
Back matter includes more information about Winslow Homer, reproductions of some of his paintings and locations of where they can be seen along with a bibliography. I put this book down yearning to go see Homer's work in person. Proust Neck, the restored studio there and the Portland Museum are now high on my list of places to visit!
June 13, 2023
Burleigh's introduction to the painter portrays a disciplined, patient artist over the course of five seasons, contstantly observing storms from perilous vantage points, making notes and sketches to aid memory, and refusing to still his brush after completing fine paintings that didn’t quite rise to his own expectations. Wendell Minor's watercolor and pencil illustrations beautifully capture the different feelings the sea can conjure, at times calm and peaceful and at times thrilling and dangerous.
January 7, 2022
This picture book is part narrative nonfiction, part poetry. It tells of famed painter Winslow Homer, and his drive to paint the sea. Beautiful illustrations complement the text. Back matter shows thumbnails of actual Homer paintings and describes them.
While factual, biographical, and lovely, this is not a book that will draw students to choose it on their own.
Art teachers may use this title for lessons on American art history, painting, color choice, lighting.
While factual, biographical, and lovely, this is not a book that will draw students to choose it on their own.
Art teachers may use this title for lessons on American art history, painting, color choice, lighting.
January 4, 2023
This title concentrates only on Winslow Homer’s efforts to paint the ocean, and one will need to read the five additional pages of information to obtain some other details about his life. While the cataloging in print (CIP) says the title is for ages 4-8, I don’t see any appeal to that age group. Perhaps 12 and up would be more appropriate as well as adult. Not the most interesting book I have read about an artist.
December 17, 2022
"The power of nature and the power of art." I love the ocean too, especially the crash of the waves. I admire his diligence to paint it.
As a note, I don't see this picturebook appealing to elementary aged children, but possibly for older students for an art study.
As a note, I don't see this picturebook appealing to elementary aged children, but possibly for older students for an art study.
February 14, 2023
This book could launch an entire unit study. Slightly cumbersome to read out loud, but the illustrations are beautiful and the story inspires the reader to want to search out this painter and learn more. Lots of extra details in the back with additional resources listed.
Read
June 24, 2021A watercolor illustrated biography for younger kids. Included are resources to see Winslow Homer's artwork in museums. I would recommend this book to kids ages 10+
July 15, 2021
Lovely illustrations match perfectly with poetic words.
August 8, 2021
What a beautiful book!
August 27, 2021
Not really a biography of Winslow Homer as the story of a few days as he paints the sea.
December 8, 2021
I liked the immediacy of the narrative. The illustrations are gorgeous!
January 6, 2022
Beautiful...poetic...personally, I loved it, but for my purposes it's better suited to middle school than elementary.
June 10, 2023
3.5⭐I enjoyed this more than the boys did and learned a bit about Homer, but honestly wasn't very memorable.
December 6, 2023
Good back matter
May 11, 2025
A bit stilted and formal for a picture book. My artistic kid got a bit bored in the reading of it.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews