Art Is Life: The Life of Artist Keith Haring

As he moves through the pages of this picture book, a squiggly halo accompanies Keith Haring, “just like the art that skipped/ and hopped/ and snapped/ and popped/ inside Keith’s head.” Lewis Brown uses simple sentences occasionally stacked with descriptors to sketch moments in Haring’s life, from a childhood drawing on his father’s lap to scrawling on subway platforms in chalk and drinking tea with Andy Warhol, crafting a portrait of a much-loved man determined to share his art with many: “Art is for everybody. Art is life. Life is art.” Negley’s blunt, blocky forms use bright colors, collage-like texture, and Haring-esque shapes to evoke art that made “people smile and laugh and cry and think.” It’s a warm introduction to an accessible talent. Author’s and illustrator’s notes include more about Haring’s life, including his early death from AIDS. Ages 4–7. [em](Dec.) [/em]