A Brush Full of Color: The World of Ted Harrison

The landscape of the coal-mining English town where Ted Harrison grew up was a far cry from the paintings of colorful horizons that would define his art. Harrison developed his distinctive style after vowing to create only joyful images (“There’s enough sadness and misery in the world without hanging it on our walls”) and moving to the Yukon to teach Cree second graders. Ruurs and Gibson eloquently describe his artistic awakening (“His heart yearned to use the free lines of nature around him, teasing him with their changing colours and shapes”), while reader-directed captions encourage children to study and reflect on his work. Ages 5–8. (Mar.)