Charles & Ray: Designers at Play

Yang draws subjects Charles (1907–1978) and Ray Eames (1912–1988), titans of modern design, as intensely observant, doll-like figures, while also capturing the sense of problem-solving that drove their creativity. After noting an early success designing splints for soldiers out of bent plywood, the bulk of the book is devoted to the duo’s creating a chair “that looks like it was born to be a chair.” Through the “impossible puzzle” of a process, the couple eventually realizes that their work on the splint can be applied to making what would be called “the best chair of the twentieth century.” Young readers may not have the context to recognize how beautifully Yang tips his hat to mid-century-modern design, but they will come away with a sense of how exhilarating it can be to make something new—and with whetted appetites for discovering more. An author’s note concludes. Ages 4–8. (May)