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Vincent Van Gogh: Portrait of an Artist
This "lively, beautifully written biography" ( Kirkus Reviews ) of the famous Post-Impressionist artist who painted Starry Night and many other masterpieces is "fascinating reading" ( School Library Journal , Starred Review).
Vincent Van Gogh—one of the nineteenth century's most brilliant artist—will forever be remembered as the Dutchman who pioneered new techniques and styles and who, in a fit of passion, cut off his own ear.
Whether painting a portrait, landscape, or still life, van Gogh sought to capture the vibrant spirit of his subject. Still, fame eluded him. This lack of recognition over a career spanning a mere decade (from ages twenty-seven to thirty-seven) fueled his lifelong self-doubt and bitter disappointments. Today, however, van Gogh's paintings are recognized as masterpieces, and the tormented Dutchman stands as a giant among artists.
Vincent Van Portrait of An Artist has been selected as a Common Core State Standards Text Exemplar (Grades 6–8, Historical/Social Studies) in Appendix B. It features a sixteen-page insert with family photographs and full-color painting reproductions and includes a glossary of artists and terms, a biographical time line, notes, a bibliography, and locations of museums that display Van Gogh’s work.
A ROBERT F. SILBERT HONOR BOOK
AN ALA NOTABLE BOOK
AN ALA BEST BOOK FOR YOUNG ADULTS
A SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNA L BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR
A BOOKLIST CHILDREN'S EDITOR'S CHOICE
Vincent Van Gogh—one of the nineteenth century's most brilliant artist—will forever be remembered as the Dutchman who pioneered new techniques and styles and who, in a fit of passion, cut off his own ear.
Whether painting a portrait, landscape, or still life, van Gogh sought to capture the vibrant spirit of his subject. Still, fame eluded him. This lack of recognition over a career spanning a mere decade (from ages twenty-seven to thirty-seven) fueled his lifelong self-doubt and bitter disappointments. Today, however, van Gogh's paintings are recognized as masterpieces, and the tormented Dutchman stands as a giant among artists.
Vincent Van Portrait of An Artist has been selected as a Common Core State Standards Text Exemplar (Grades 6–8, Historical/Social Studies) in Appendix B. It features a sixteen-page insert with family photographs and full-color painting reproductions and includes a glossary of artists and terms, a biographical time line, notes, a bibliography, and locations of museums that display Van Gogh’s work.
A ROBERT F. SILBERT HONOR BOOK
AN ALA NOTABLE BOOK
AN ALA BEST BOOK FOR YOUNG ADULTS
A SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNA L BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR
A BOOKLIST CHILDREN'S EDITOR'S CHOICE
144 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
73 people are currently reading
395 people want to read
About the author
Jan Greenberg
34 books5 followersJan Greenberg is an award-winning author celebrated for her books about art and artists. Her collaborations with Sandra Jordan include Action Jackson and Christo and Jean-Claude: Through the Gates and Beyond, both honored for excellence in nonfiction. Vincent Van Gogh, Portrait of an Artist earned a Sibert Honor and became a Common Core text exemplar. She later co-authored Ballet for Martha and The Mad Potter, each receiving starred reviews and Sibert Honors. In 2013, she and Jordan received the Children’s Book Guild Award. She lives in St. Louis, Missouri.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
April 25, 2021
A Gift of Color
“Vincent van Gogh: portrait of an artist” is a great book . Besides the usual biography, of which I’ve read many, this book is very very organized.
The plot line goes over his life and mostly in a chronological fashion. Then laying out some periods sequentially.
The book is brilliantly referenced, meticulously drawn together with bibliography and as well as the 1986 book of all lessons letters.
It is a wonderful little book one that’s perfect for someone who wants an introduction, yet for those who are van Gogh fans it gives word crafted descriptions of his writings, artwork, letters, loves and losses.
This book exceeded my expectations and I highly recommend it.
“Vincent van Gogh: portrait of an artist” is a great book . Besides the usual biography, of which I’ve read many, this book is very very organized.
The plot line goes over his life and mostly in a chronological fashion. Then laying out some periods sequentially.
The book is brilliantly referenced, meticulously drawn together with bibliography and as well as the 1986 book of all lessons letters.
It is a wonderful little book one that’s perfect for someone who wants an introduction, yet for those who are van Gogh fans it gives word crafted descriptions of his writings, artwork, letters, loves and losses.
This book exceeded my expectations and I highly recommend it.
November 7, 2023
An excellent read that totally captivated me. Having just watched a recent movie about Vincent Van Gogh, I wanted to know more about this eccentric, extremely talented artist and tortured soul who did not become famous until after his death. The book is short and simply written. I devoured it in two days and it covered everything and even included photos of some of his more famous works. A genius of his time, he had a close relationship with his younger brother, Theo, who basically supported him financially most of his adult life so that he could create and devote his life to his art. Vincent was not easy to live with - his drive and intenseness, as well as tendency to be messy, disagreeable and difficult at times made him hard to be around. Few could live with him for any period of time including his brother who was completely devoted to him. At times, he could be kind especially to those he saw as being miserable or treated unkindly, yet other times he was argumentative and bizarre, doing strange things, one of which was to cut off his ear when his friend and fellow artist, Paul Gauguin, left because he was tired of Vincent's strange behaviour. Totally captivating, this book starts at his beginnings & goes through all the periods of his life ending with when he supposedly shot himself & subsequently dies during one of his morose periods. I strongly suspect Vincent would be diagnosed as bi-polar in these modern times. This book really takes you into the mind of this amazing man and what drove him to create the profound works of art that he did and the stages in his life that produced those works.
May 20, 2015
This book is about the life, struggles, and successes of Vincent Van Gogh, a very famous Dutch painter that was unknown and poor for the most part of his life. The author discussed Van Gogh’s journey of becoming an artist and the artworks he created. Van Gogh had a very unstable mental and physical health. From a young age, he was struggling financially, and as he grew older, he developed a horrible relationship with his father had a catastrophic love life. He got rejected by his landlady's daughter, fell in love with his cousin who got repulsed and fled away because of him, and was attracted to an alcoholic prostitute. A major part of this book had to deal with the relationship between Van Gogh’s brother, Theo, and him. Theo was an art dealer while he was an artist. They sent many letters back and forth and most of the things the author wrote was discovered from those letters. He created many artworks during his lifetime, including the famous “Starry Night” and “Sunflowers”.
Most biographies are boring to me, but this book exceeded my expectations. It was not only easy to read, but super well written. In a 132 page book, the author was able to provide a lot of interesting information on his life, struggles, and his passion and drive for painting. The author’s writing was also really poetic. I loved how they didn’t just state facts; they brought the book to life. I enjoyed the book because I felt as if I were in Van Gogh’s shoes, and I could feel the pain and struggle he dealt with and the passion he had while applying his emotions onto canvas. He is a truly inspiring man with determination to pursue his dreams. I found it heart wrenching that nobody saw his potential and his brilliant masterpieces, until years after his death. This book was pretty sad, but nevertheless, it was an engrossing book that is perfect for people who are interested in art history and art techniques, or people who want to be motivated by someone who who had persevered to achieve his dreams.I give this book 5/5 and definitely think it is a book worth reading.
Most biographies are boring to me, but this book exceeded my expectations. It was not only easy to read, but super well written. In a 132 page book, the author was able to provide a lot of interesting information on his life, struggles, and his passion and drive for painting. The author’s writing was also really poetic. I loved how they didn’t just state facts; they brought the book to life. I enjoyed the book because I felt as if I were in Van Gogh’s shoes, and I could feel the pain and struggle he dealt with and the passion he had while applying his emotions onto canvas. He is a truly inspiring man with determination to pursue his dreams. I found it heart wrenching that nobody saw his potential and his brilliant masterpieces, until years after his death. This book was pretty sad, but nevertheless, it was an engrossing book that is perfect for people who are interested in art history and art techniques, or people who want to be motivated by someone who who had persevered to achieve his dreams.I give this book 5/5 and definitely think it is a book worth reading.
February 24, 2021
this is the best biographical book on van Gogh, and I've read a bunch, by a long shot. the authors delicately and poetically handled history and stayed out of the way while presenting perhaps the most enigmatic character who has ever graced the earth. Too often authors handling Van Gogh get a bit pretenscious, often in coloring in the mysterious with their assumptions and ego and proceed to pass it off as fact. Not the case here. As someone obsessed with Van Gogh this book showed him to me in a new light, based on all of the different perspectives they gathered, and it checked out historically. They highlighted the intrigue, while not missing the brass tacks. My personal favorite chapter was "the high yellow note" the authors brilliantly and poetically presented this period of his life and it left me awestruck. I was amazed to see this may be considered a children's book, as it won an award in the category.while I could see that it's very readable and never venturing into yawn territory, it's just that it's the finest book I've seen written on the subject. I look forward ,but I'm not sure when would be the appropriate time, to pass this off to my niece and nephew because it's absolutely glorious, and I'd love for them to know more about "the artist that cut his ear off", yet it would be certainly be introducing them to the rugged world of adulthood.
I laughed out loud,I couldn't put it down,I was intrigued throughout, and when it ended I sobbed like a baby.
I laughed out loud,I couldn't put it down,I was intrigued throughout, and when it ended I sobbed like a baby.
July 11, 2015
This was a short book on the life of Vincent Van Gogh. I learned a lot I hadn't known about him. It tells of his parents, and their family. His parents didn't support his idea of being an artist. His younger brother, Theo supported Vincent with money, in exchange Vincent sent his artwork to Theo. Vincent's family owned an art shop, where he worked for awhile. He became unwelcome there, after he was rude to customers. Later Theo worked there, and stored Vincent's artwork. Vincent new the artist who would later become famous. He learned more from them, than he did from art teachers. Both Vincent and his brother died young. Theo's wife took charge of the letter's and the works of art, even though her brother told her to throw them out. There is a family art museum, with the greatest number of VAn Gogh's artwork. Jo was able to sell some of her brother-in-laws work. In later years his paintings have sold for many millions of dollars. He was very prolific, and painted many hundreds of paintings, and did many drawings.
November 6, 2016
Van Gogh: Portrait of an Artist by Jan Greenberg
• This book is perfect for middle school students learning about art and culture. Van Gogh as we all know was an incredible artist, and this book gives information about his life and work in a way that is appropriate for younger ages.
• Teachers may use this for Art and history
• Grades 5-8
• Individual students will gain knowledge of a great artist by reading this book
• Small groups may read this book, form a literacy circle and discuss the importance of his work and the impression he made.
• Whole class will use this book during a art history lesson.
• Winner of the Robert F Silbert Honor book
• Available in print
• This book is perfect for middle school students learning about art and culture. Van Gogh as we all know was an incredible artist, and this book gives information about his life and work in a way that is appropriate for younger ages.
• Teachers may use this for Art and history
• Grades 5-8
• Individual students will gain knowledge of a great artist by reading this book
• Small groups may read this book, form a literacy circle and discuss the importance of his work and the impression he made.
• Whole class will use this book during a art history lesson.
• Winner of the Robert F Silbert Honor book
• Available in print
October 22, 2017
I read this on the digital reading app my students use. It was riddled with typos, misspellings, and formatting errors. I very much enjoyed reading it, though, as a refresher course in the mystery and magic--and tragedy--of Vincent.
July 26, 2025
I’m thrilled to share my thoughts on this book, which has deepened my appreciation for Vincent Van Gogh. Since I was eight years old, I have been captivated by his work, particularly his post-impressionist artwork, which I explored in art school. I practiced replicating his unique strokes, dots, and lines, immersing myself in his artwork. This book sheds light on how Van Gogh's art and life were shaped by his intense emotions and creativity. It's beautifully crafted, featuring the correspondence between Vincent and his brother Theo, with dates aligning perfectly with certain events in his life. Vincent comes across as a complex individual, often challenging to understand, yet he had a kind heart. He would go to great lengths to help others, showing deep empathy, especially towards those less fortunate, and particularly with Theo. Their bond was incredibly strong, and it’s evident that Theo loved Vincent deeply and wished for his happiness and success. The tragic timing of Vincent's passing, followed closely by Theo's death, raises questions about heartbreak and loss. Which honestly showed how much the brothers loved eachother. Van Gogh's life and work have always inspired me to express myself creatively through art. I’m grateful to have read this book, which has provided me with a deeper understanding of his perspective on life and the complexities of his character.
March 12, 2021
As many people know, Vincent Van Gogh's life isn't the happiest one. He has had many failed romances, and many arguments typically ending with him being called a madman. At some point he cut off his ear and was put in an asylum for quite a while. Van Gogh even killed himself, thinking he was burdening others. But I never knew any of the good parts of his life, like how much people really cared for him at the end, such as his brother's family, and many other artists he knew. His artistic journey was amazing to read about, and he kept going to continue getting better, having strong motivation to keep going despite his problems. That's why I think this biography is so good. It manages to describe so much about his life, and the way it's described helps me understand Van Gogh's life from his perspective and to understand his emotions. If I hadn't read it, I would've missed out on so much of Vincent Van Gogh's sad but amazing life. I'd definitely recommend it for other's to read, and I'd be happy to read it again.
March 20, 2023
I personally don't usually like nonfiction, although I would have to say that this book was marvelous as it portrays Van Gogh life in a thrilling way. When I picked out this book for my Lang class I expected it to contain just paragraphs of mind numbing facts, but instead it told it as if his life was a story. Most of the information came from letters that he wrote to his brother Theo, which made the book more personal. The book didn't just describe the art he created but who he was as a person. Through this book I got to see his personality and how he developed into the person he is known as today. I gave it 4 stars as it was incredible in the way it kept the audience engaged. I definitely recommend this book, the only reason I didn't give this book 5 stars was only because I gave the book little women 5 stars and I really don't think this book wasn't as good as little women. But I think one quote that really sums up this book is "I put my heart and soul into my work and in the process I lost half my mind." I think this quote really demonstrates how hard he worked and he never knew the impact his work would have on this world. I think it shows that sometimes we need to give it everything we have even though we don't think it will have any big impact. Overall I do recommend this book as it will give you a different view on not just art but in life.
June 17, 2022
i saw the Immersive Van Gogh and wanted to know more about him. I always knew the highlights, but wanted to know the story of the evolution of his art and his madness.
The author greatly admires Van Gogh and says the evidence does not support insanity. However, what i read definitely supported mental illness - probably several overlapping issues.
What i learned from the book is that not only were his most productive periods at the end of his life and in an asylum, but that he almost was not an artist at all. He tried and failed at several different versions of his life and might well have become the family failure ending up locked up for life without ever picking up a paint brush. He drew from a young age, but did not pursue it as a career until his mid 20s and then he was dedicated and obsessed for the rest of his life. But the interesting thing to me is that he was equally obsessed with several of his previous vocations.
SOOO many interesting new thoughts form from that fact.
The author greatly admires Van Gogh and says the evidence does not support insanity. However, what i read definitely supported mental illness - probably several overlapping issues.
What i learned from the book is that not only were his most productive periods at the end of his life and in an asylum, but that he almost was not an artist at all. He tried and failed at several different versions of his life and might well have become the family failure ending up locked up for life without ever picking up a paint brush. He drew from a young age, but did not pursue it as a career until his mid 20s and then he was dedicated and obsessed for the rest of his life. But the interesting thing to me is that he was equally obsessed with several of his previous vocations.
SOOO many interesting new thoughts form from that fact.
Read
August 3, 2016Title: Vincent Van Gogh, Portrait of an Artist
Author: Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan
Genre: 3-5 Biography
Theme(s): Biography, art, painters
Opening line/sentence:
“Hunched like a porcupine from the weight of his easel, brushes, tubes of color, and folding stool, Vincent headed out of Arles at dawn.
Brief Book Summary:
This is a biography about Vincent Van Gogh. The story details his life growing up in his family, his adolescent years, and finishes with his work as an artist.
Professional Recommendation/Review #1:
Gillian Engberg (Booklist, Aug. 1, 2001 (Vol. 97, No. 22))
Greenberg and Jordan, authors of titles such as Chuck Close Up Close (1998) and Frank O'Gehry: Outside In (2000), offer yet another outstanding artist's biography. In elegant, captivating language, they debunk myths about Van Gogh as lunatic and loner. Following his life story from birth to death, they describe the artist as an irascible, stubborn, and erratic member of a family that supported him through aborted attempts to become an art dealer and a preacher, before he finally settled on painting, a career fully supported by his brother Theo, with whom he lived in Paris. Also detailed are Van Gogh's years of drinking and schmoozing among the greats of the Montmartre art scene, organizing exhibitions, enjoying great friendships with other artists, and finally moving to the south of France, where he hoped to start an artist's collective. The authors do a remarkable job of presenting Van Gogh's complex personality (described by his brother as "gifted, delicate, and tender" and "cruel and hard-hearted"); his periods of manic energy; and the ear incident, in a straightforward, even understated way, showing that he was not "crazy," but rather suffered from epilepsy. They also help readers look at the painter's work, and at art in general, discuss the artist's motivations and techniques, and bring readers up-close with immediate, moving scenes ofVan Gogh at work in the fields as he strove to paint his "high yellow note." An exceptional biography that reveals the humanity behind the myth. Reproductions, a glossary, and other appended material will help this find cross-curricular support.
Professional Recommendation/Review #2:
Elaine Wick (Children's Literature)
Vincent van Gogh, second born child, was named after his parents' stillborn first son. Perhaps, the authors speculate, this affected his lifelong yearning for love and understanding. In this highly engaging biography, readers will quickly be drawn into the artist's quixotic life and empathize with his moods and neediness. Sent away to school at age eleven, Vincent felt lonely, yet he learned four languages and received several years of valuable experience as an art gallery apprentice in The Hague. Rejected by his first love at age twenty, he became a religious zealot and began a course of study that he grew to hate. By age 26 and living on charity, he was rescued by his beloved younger brother Theo, who supported him throughout his life and to whom he wrote more than 600 letters. Their powerful bond is palpable in this book. Today, those letters are part of van Gogh's legacy, along with the vibrant, powerful paintings that he alone foresaw would eventually find an audience. Unfortunately, success did not come until after his tragic death. Each chapter is based on a new period in van Gogh's life and each opens with an excerpt from one of his letters. The authors balance happy moments in his life and his passionately humanitarian character against his demons and repugnant personal ways. In spite of his maniacal spells, self-deprecation and probable epileptic attacks, van Gogh created an astonishing body of work in his ten-year artistic journey. The book is a good introduction to the art itself, for example, van Gogh's motivation for depicting the life of laborers in his famous "Potato Eaters," or the special significance to him of the color Yellow and of achieving the "high yellow note." Nineteen glossy reproductions of his works are included, along with a biographical timeline, a list of museums with his works, a glossary of artists and terms, chapter notes, a bibliography and an index. A wonderful resource for researchers, artists and art aficionados and an enjoyable read for all.
Response to Two Professional Reviews:
The second review described how each chapter opens up with an excerpt from a letter, and I thought this was a powerful way to start the chapters. The letters corresponded to the chapter that followed, and it was interesting – as well as entertaining – to read the letter and then find out how it connected to each chapter. The first review spoke to how the book debunked the myths that Van Gogh was crazy, and suggested he was eccentric and I thought this was a fresh take on something that I had heard many times before.
Evaluation of Literary Elements:
I thought the chapters were the perfect length to begin to move children towards more complicated texts. Each chapter was only a couple of pages, and were manageable as a result. Additionally, I loved the pictures in the middle of the book. I thought it was interesting to read all about the artist, and then see some of his work in the center of the book.
Consideration of Instructional Application:
This book is a biography about an artist, and I would want to incorporate both aspects of the book into a lesson. What I would want to do is have my children paint something about him or herself. It could be a self-portrait, a painting of a special memory, or anything really as long as they could explain how it represented an aspect of who they are. I would let the children paint whatever they pleased, and then I would have them present on why they painted it, and how it relates to them.
Author: Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan
Genre: 3-5 Biography
Theme(s): Biography, art, painters
Opening line/sentence:
“Hunched like a porcupine from the weight of his easel, brushes, tubes of color, and folding stool, Vincent headed out of Arles at dawn.
Brief Book Summary:
This is a biography about Vincent Van Gogh. The story details his life growing up in his family, his adolescent years, and finishes with his work as an artist.
Professional Recommendation/Review #1:
Gillian Engberg (Booklist, Aug. 1, 2001 (Vol. 97, No. 22))
Greenberg and Jordan, authors of titles such as Chuck Close Up Close (1998) and Frank O'Gehry: Outside In (2000), offer yet another outstanding artist's biography. In elegant, captivating language, they debunk myths about Van Gogh as lunatic and loner. Following his life story from birth to death, they describe the artist as an irascible, stubborn, and erratic member of a family that supported him through aborted attempts to become an art dealer and a preacher, before he finally settled on painting, a career fully supported by his brother Theo, with whom he lived in Paris. Also detailed are Van Gogh's years of drinking and schmoozing among the greats of the Montmartre art scene, organizing exhibitions, enjoying great friendships with other artists, and finally moving to the south of France, where he hoped to start an artist's collective. The authors do a remarkable job of presenting Van Gogh's complex personality (described by his brother as "gifted, delicate, and tender" and "cruel and hard-hearted"); his periods of manic energy; and the ear incident, in a straightforward, even understated way, showing that he was not "crazy," but rather suffered from epilepsy. They also help readers look at the painter's work, and at art in general, discuss the artist's motivations and techniques, and bring readers up-close with immediate, moving scenes ofVan Gogh at work in the fields as he strove to paint his "high yellow note." An exceptional biography that reveals the humanity behind the myth. Reproductions, a glossary, and other appended material will help this find cross-curricular support.
Professional Recommendation/Review #2:
Elaine Wick (Children's Literature)
Vincent van Gogh, second born child, was named after his parents' stillborn first son. Perhaps, the authors speculate, this affected his lifelong yearning for love and understanding. In this highly engaging biography, readers will quickly be drawn into the artist's quixotic life and empathize with his moods and neediness. Sent away to school at age eleven, Vincent felt lonely, yet he learned four languages and received several years of valuable experience as an art gallery apprentice in The Hague. Rejected by his first love at age twenty, he became a religious zealot and began a course of study that he grew to hate. By age 26 and living on charity, he was rescued by his beloved younger brother Theo, who supported him throughout his life and to whom he wrote more than 600 letters. Their powerful bond is palpable in this book. Today, those letters are part of van Gogh's legacy, along with the vibrant, powerful paintings that he alone foresaw would eventually find an audience. Unfortunately, success did not come until after his tragic death. Each chapter is based on a new period in van Gogh's life and each opens with an excerpt from one of his letters. The authors balance happy moments in his life and his passionately humanitarian character against his demons and repugnant personal ways. In spite of his maniacal spells, self-deprecation and probable epileptic attacks, van Gogh created an astonishing body of work in his ten-year artistic journey. The book is a good introduction to the art itself, for example, van Gogh's motivation for depicting the life of laborers in his famous "Potato Eaters," or the special significance to him of the color Yellow and of achieving the "high yellow note." Nineteen glossy reproductions of his works are included, along with a biographical timeline, a list of museums with his works, a glossary of artists and terms, chapter notes, a bibliography and an index. A wonderful resource for researchers, artists and art aficionados and an enjoyable read for all.
Response to Two Professional Reviews:
The second review described how each chapter opens up with an excerpt from a letter, and I thought this was a powerful way to start the chapters. The letters corresponded to the chapter that followed, and it was interesting – as well as entertaining – to read the letter and then find out how it connected to each chapter. The first review spoke to how the book debunked the myths that Van Gogh was crazy, and suggested he was eccentric and I thought this was a fresh take on something that I had heard many times before.
Evaluation of Literary Elements:
I thought the chapters were the perfect length to begin to move children towards more complicated texts. Each chapter was only a couple of pages, and were manageable as a result. Additionally, I loved the pictures in the middle of the book. I thought it was interesting to read all about the artist, and then see some of his work in the center of the book.
Consideration of Instructional Application:
This book is a biography about an artist, and I would want to incorporate both aspects of the book into a lesson. What I would want to do is have my children paint something about him or herself. It could be a self-portrait, a painting of a special memory, or anything really as long as they could explain how it represented an aspect of who they are. I would let the children paint whatever they pleased, and then I would have them present on why they painted it, and how it relates to them.
April 23, 2019
Genre: Individual Biography
Award: Sibert Honor
Audience: 5th-6th grade
A. This biography is a complete biography, walking through Van Gogh's journey to being an artist, beginning at a year after Vincent's birth, and ending right after his death.
B. This is an authentic biography, giving facts that were gathered predominantly from letters that Van Gogh wrote himself. The notes in the back of this book reference all of the letters consulted. The bibliography is extensive, showing the dedication of the author to portray Van Gogh accurately and authentically. There is also a biographical timeline, museum locations, and a glossary of artists and terms.
C. Two genuine questions that children might ask about van Gogh would be: "Why was Vincent Van Gogh so mean to the people around him?", and "What did he mean when he said, 'I would like to paint in such a way that everybody, at least if they had eyes, would see it'?".
Award: Sibert Honor
Audience: 5th-6th grade
A. This biography is a complete biography, walking through Van Gogh's journey to being an artist, beginning at a year after Vincent's birth, and ending right after his death.
B. This is an authentic biography, giving facts that were gathered predominantly from letters that Van Gogh wrote himself. The notes in the back of this book reference all of the letters consulted. The bibliography is extensive, showing the dedication of the author to portray Van Gogh accurately and authentically. There is also a biographical timeline, museum locations, and a glossary of artists and terms.
C. Two genuine questions that children might ask about van Gogh would be: "Why was Vincent Van Gogh so mean to the people around him?", and "What did he mean when he said, 'I would like to paint in such a way that everybody, at least if they had eyes, would see it'?".
March 5, 2020
I think this biography of Vincent Van Gogh is great. I had a lot of fun reading this book. This book is very informational and I learned a lot reading this biography. Vincent Van Gogh was the quiet kid growing up and he was born into an upper-middle-class family. He moved to Paris in 1886 and that was when he started to get more recognized for his artwork. He was famous for making his artwork bright and colorful. He had his own style which was way different than any other painters. So overall, this book gave me a better view of Vincent Van Goghs life and upbringing, I would definitely recommend this book to others.
August 17, 2022
Overall - I thought this was well written - cohesive with clear central ideas running throughout the book. That said - the authors assume a lot of background knowledge on the reader's part. For example, the first page is a map of England, France, and Holland. Holland is no longer it's own country - so you have to infer that this is a map from the 1800's. There's no title or scaffold to help the reader do this. I detail more of my analysis at the blog entry above.
PROS for middle school readers -
*The book is clearly a biography and includes the typical structure of a biography. It follows a logical order - the sequence of van Gogh's life and specific dates are in the title of each chapter.
*The content is cohesive - there are clear themes running through the text.
*There are access features - a map (don't get too excited, though - see my notes below), a timeline, a glossary of artists and terms.
*The authors lend authority and accuracy to the text with extensive notes at the end of the book. These notes list chapter by chapter which primary sources were tapped to create this narrative of van Gogh's life. In addition, van Gogh's letters and other's letters are quoted throughout the book as just such.
CONS for middle school readers -
*The first page after the contents page is a "map." The authors assume a lot of the reader's background knowledge in their choice of this map. It is a map of part of Europe (but Europe is not labeled or identified) - England, Spain, France, Belgium, and Holland. Catch that? Holland. Holland is no longer a country. North and South Holland are provinces of the Netherlands. The map does not have a title or any textual support to identify the larger region and the time period; there is no indication it is a map of a part of Europe and that the map reflects the countries of Europe at some point in the 19th century!
*The page after the map is the start of the "prologue." The authors begin - "Hunched like a porcupine from the weight of his easel, brushes, tubes of color, and folding stool, Vincent headed out of Arles at dawn---too early for the gang of street boys to chase after him, to call him crazy" (p. 1). (If the reader looks back at the map, he or she will find Arles in southern France.) This first sentence for the whole book is a complex sentence with a LOT of information - the reader needs to visualize the dependent clause that begins the sentence to get the "how". The middle part has the subject and predicate of the whole sentence (Vincent van Gogh is the subject and "headed out" means he is leaving early in the morning - probably to go paint because of the information shared in the beginning dependent clause). Then the reader must catch on to a problem as he or she reads the last part of the sentence - two dependent clauses that indicate van Gogh is not well regarded by local boys and sometimes even taunted. This sentence alone deserves a close reading because it says so much. This one sentence captivates themes that run through the rest of the book.
*There is a multi-page insert of glossy, colored images of van Gogh's paintings. BUT the reader is required to seek the images in the insert out as they are mentioned in the text. In other words, the reader has to be savvy enough to realize that the authors are describing one of van Gogh's pieces of art and it might be helpful to see that piece of art. Then the reader has to turn to the insert and find that piece of art except that not every piece of art referenced or even described in detail is included in the insert.
*The central idea(s) are abstract - this book is about how van Gogh searched for a purpose to his life - that embraced his compassion for all human beings, particularly the common folk, about how he failed many times, about how he persevered in finding his identity/technique as an artist, and how he dealt with physical and mental (although the authors do not call it "mental") illness. Conceptually, it's more difficult than "this person wanted to end slavery."
*At the end of the book, van Gogh commits suicide. As I read the book, I kept thinking "this guy is bipolar or manic depressive" and "he's depressed, depressed, depressed." The authors never mention this, though. They state that van Gogh had epilepsy. In truth (based on further research after reading), there are lots of theories about what van Gogh suffered from and if it was epilepsy (which is really one of the theories) - this would not have caused the angry outbursts and depression described in the book. (From what I can tell from my own research - I have been wrong before, though.) Depression (maybe as a result of, but not a side effect of epilepsy) was clearly a problem. I think the authors do the student reader a disservice by not just saying this and putting out there that we are not sure what he had, here are some theories. It makes the whole book easier to understand - without decreasing the rigor.
Just a last thought. I don't know any middle grade students who would pick this book up independently and who would stick with it if they did. I just doesn't strike me as an engaging read. Nevertheless, students need to read these books. So what to do? I'm thinking about it. At the least, it should be part of an integrated unit of study - on that time period during Europe, on post-Impressionists, on the past and the present in art. Something.
PROS for middle school readers -
*The book is clearly a biography and includes the typical structure of a biography. It follows a logical order - the sequence of van Gogh's life and specific dates are in the title of each chapter.
*The content is cohesive - there are clear themes running through the text.
*There are access features - a map (don't get too excited, though - see my notes below), a timeline, a glossary of artists and terms.
*The authors lend authority and accuracy to the text with extensive notes at the end of the book. These notes list chapter by chapter which primary sources were tapped to create this narrative of van Gogh's life. In addition, van Gogh's letters and other's letters are quoted throughout the book as just such.
CONS for middle school readers -
*The first page after the contents page is a "map." The authors assume a lot of the reader's background knowledge in their choice of this map. It is a map of part of Europe (but Europe is not labeled or identified) - England, Spain, France, Belgium, and Holland. Catch that? Holland. Holland is no longer a country. North and South Holland are provinces of the Netherlands. The map does not have a title or any textual support to identify the larger region and the time period; there is no indication it is a map of a part of Europe and that the map reflects the countries of Europe at some point in the 19th century!
*The page after the map is the start of the "prologue." The authors begin - "Hunched like a porcupine from the weight of his easel, brushes, tubes of color, and folding stool, Vincent headed out of Arles at dawn---too early for the gang of street boys to chase after him, to call him crazy" (p. 1). (If the reader looks back at the map, he or she will find Arles in southern France.) This first sentence for the whole book is a complex sentence with a LOT of information - the reader needs to visualize the dependent clause that begins the sentence to get the "how". The middle part has the subject and predicate of the whole sentence (Vincent van Gogh is the subject and "headed out" means he is leaving early in the morning - probably to go paint because of the information shared in the beginning dependent clause). Then the reader must catch on to a problem as he or she reads the last part of the sentence - two dependent clauses that indicate van Gogh is not well regarded by local boys and sometimes even taunted. This sentence alone deserves a close reading because it says so much. This one sentence captivates themes that run through the rest of the book.
*There is a multi-page insert of glossy, colored images of van Gogh's paintings. BUT the reader is required to seek the images in the insert out as they are mentioned in the text. In other words, the reader has to be savvy enough to realize that the authors are describing one of van Gogh's pieces of art and it might be helpful to see that piece of art. Then the reader has to turn to the insert and find that piece of art except that not every piece of art referenced or even described in detail is included in the insert.
*The central idea(s) are abstract - this book is about how van Gogh searched for a purpose to his life - that embraced his compassion for all human beings, particularly the common folk, about how he failed many times, about how he persevered in finding his identity/technique as an artist, and how he dealt with physical and mental (although the authors do not call it "mental") illness. Conceptually, it's more difficult than "this person wanted to end slavery."
*At the end of the book, van Gogh commits suicide. As I read the book, I kept thinking "this guy is bipolar or manic depressive" and "he's depressed, depressed, depressed." The authors never mention this, though. They state that van Gogh had epilepsy. In truth (based on further research after reading), there are lots of theories about what van Gogh suffered from and if it was epilepsy (which is really one of the theories) - this would not have caused the angry outbursts and depression described in the book. (From what I can tell from my own research - I have been wrong before, though.) Depression (maybe as a result of, but not a side effect of epilepsy) was clearly a problem. I think the authors do the student reader a disservice by not just saying this and putting out there that we are not sure what he had, here are some theories. It makes the whole book easier to understand - without decreasing the rigor.
Just a last thought. I don't know any middle grade students who would pick this book up independently and who would stick with it if they did. I just doesn't strike me as an engaging read. Nevertheless, students need to read these books. So what to do? I'm thinking about it. At the least, it should be part of an integrated unit of study - on that time period during Europe, on post-Impressionists, on the past and the present in art. Something.
February 2, 2023
I really enjoyed learning about Vincent Van Gogh's life! He was so much more than the "crazy artist who cut off his ear". He was a poetic writer, an enthusiastic artist, and a best friend to his brother Theo. His life really was too short, and it's a shame he didn't achieve success while alive- however, I am thankful that he was able to make it after he died, as his paintings truly are a gift to the world!
April 8, 2024
This short but informative book on Vincent Van Gogh is a great book if you want an overview of the artist's life. It's a rather short book, but does well explaining his life from beginning to end. After I read this book, I truly saw that this artist was helpless to find a place to fit in socially. Once he discovered art, there was nothing going to stop him from doing art, including his bouts with of madness.
September 19, 2024
There are a few parts that were a slog to get through, really anytime things are going good for Vincent. Mostly a great read though. I'm questioning what the deal with epilepsy was Back In The Day. I don't think it sounds like he "just" had epilepsy which is what the author seems to be arguing. I feel like epilepsy was the male version of hysteria. Blanket diagnosis for anytime a guy was freaking out a lot.
October 8, 2019
I read this book before going to the Van Gogh Museum. The book was informative and a relatively quick read. Vincent’s character was far more eccentric and peculiar than I had imagined. The background brought added meaning to the paintings and to a museum experience that was otherwise laden with sanitized exhibits.
November 28, 2024
Continuing my read of Sibert winners and honors. This was a fairly straightforward short biography. It was all text with a small insert with artwork and photographs. This covered basically the artist's entire life and just a little of what happened to his work after his death. This was a fairly unhappy book. And as all text it just didn't sing. It was fine but it read slowly.
January 20, 2026
Good easy read about the life of Vincent Van Gogh and the various stages he went through in his life before and after he became an artist as well as his relationships with others along the way. Includes excerpts of letters mainly written to his brother. I enjoyed reading about his life and learning that his sister-in-law was the person who made sure his works were not lost after his death.
November 9, 2018
A competently written, short summary of Van Gogh’s life. Exactly what I was looking for: a quick easy read that gave me a much better understanding of the artist’s life and the influences that shaped his art. I enjoyed the book, and it didn’t require a huge commitment of time.
February 17, 2019
A good, thorough, relatively quick read. I feel a connection to this poor, tortured soul, and love the use of illustrations. I wish, however, they would have put more of his paintings in chronological order.
May 12, 2019
This book is easy to understand as it is meant for kids, but I enjoyed it as an adult. I got a glimpse at what Vincent and Theo's relationship was like, what it must have been like for Vincent in his struggles and his feelings. It felt quite personal and was a quick and fun read.
February 7, 2021
My 13 year old daughter and I read this together. We particiularly enjoyed being able to reference the color photos of some of the paintings as we read, and the mention of our St. Louis Art Museum in the "Museum Locations" at the end!
December 19, 2021
This is the perfect little book for a quick synopsis of Van Gogh’s life. It has a few of his artworks in pictures and and an extensive bibliography. We had just visited the media VanGogh exhibit in Columbus and I wanted to understand more about him.
February 11, 2023
I’ve always admired VanGogh’s paintings…my favorite is Starry Night. The exhibit in the Columbus Museum of Art in 2022 was fantastic. I read this short biographical study of his life to learn more about the man & his journey to become one of the brilliant artists of all time.
May 21, 2017
Objective. Clear. Concise yet not cold. Filled with references to Primary resources. Quite moving.
January 24, 2019
Easy to read and very informative
March 2, 2019
A pretty brief biography, but I loved all of the pieces of Vincent’s own letters they included. The color prints and how they were described were also wonderful. Ahh, Vincent. ❤️
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