By
– August 31, 2011
With this handsome, oversized, magnificently illustrated and designed book, Neil Waldman introduces children to 13 Americans whose noble dreams, brave words, and courageous acts in difficult times had a profound effect upon the history and current state of our nation. Included are: presidents Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, and Barack Obama. Important to civil rights are: Frederick Douglass, Rosa Parks, and Dr. Martin Luther King. Sitting Bull and Cesar Chavez are here for obtaining rights for their respective groups — Native Americans and migrant farm workers. Both Elizabeth Cady Stanton who fought for the abolition of slavery, and Susan B. Anthony, for voting rights for women are included, as well as Emma Lazarus, who led a battle cry for immigrants with her poem “The New Colossus,” which adorns the base of the Statue of Liberty. To alert us to the fragility of nature and our planet, Rachel Carson appears as our nation’s first environmentalist. Marvelous watercolors of these heroes and heroines, backed by images of the deeds they accomplished, fill the pages of this handsomely designed 8” x 10” book. The rich dark colors of maroon, pumpkin, royal and cerulean blues, celery green, and mustard offer pleasing contrast to text and the adjacent delicate water colors. Individual biographies of each “Dreamer” fill the squares of two gorgeous pages, designed as beautifully as the rest of the book, and even the Source Notes are on a beautifully designed page, so in addition to being helpful, they, too add to the handsomeness of this volume. No Jewish content. For ages 6 – 10.
Marcia Posner: Neil, I love your books so much that I hesitate to part with them after reviewing them. By now I have quite a collection. Tell us how you became an illustrator. What is the back story?
Neil Waldman: I was raised in the blue-collar backstreets of the Bronx. My father and grandfather were factory workers. Our neighbors were plumbers, policemen, and janitors. But I always loved to draw and my mother encouraged me. In such a world, however, I had no idea that a college education might offer the chance to earn a living doing what I loved most, drawing and painting. Still, after high school, I did go on to college. And it worked! I have been fortunate to be able to illustrate many, many books, as you know, and support my family while doing so. After illustrating more than 50 books, dream images began bubbling up inside me. I imagined myself returning to the neighborhoods of my youth, finding young artists there, and helping to provide them with an escape route from the ghetto.
And so, with the help of the Children’s Aid Society, I created The Fred Dolan Art Academy. It is a free high school program that teaches the fundamentals of drawing and painting, builds student portfolios, and aids the students in the college entry process. We have been in existence for five years now. To date, 14 students have graduated from the academy — all 14 going on to college. Our graduates have been accepted at the Rhode Island School of Design, the Chicago Art Institute, N.Y.U., F.I.T., and a host of others.
MP: You are a “Big Dreamer” yourself. Does the book under review connect in some way with your wishes and dreams for the children in the Fred Dolan Art Academy?
NW: Absolutely. The Land of Big Dreamers details the remarkable possibilities that have filled the history of this great nation. It is a book about courage, and the fulfillment of dreams that have always been possible here. It is dedicated to the teachers of the Fred Dolan Art Academy, people who exemplify that ideal by helping underprivileged artists to transform their lives, and realize their own American dreams.
MP: That’s beautiful.
NW: It is really wonderful, but we now find ourselves in serious trouble. In the current economic climate, our funds have been cut by 40%. I’ve been told that in order to retain the program, I will have to begin turning students away, reduce the number of classes, and purchase inferior art supplies. In order to keep our school afloat, we have to raise at least $15,000 by the coming school year.
MP: Perhaps our JBW readers can help you fund the Academy; after all, it trains the future illustrators of children’s books.
NW: That would be wonderful! Let’s try: I am asking for your help. $150 will provide art supplies for one student for a year. $600 will provide art supplies for that same student over the four years of high school. Tax deductible donations should be made out to the Fred Dolan Art Academy, and mailed to The Children’s Aid Society, 105 East 22nd Street, New York, NY 10010.
Please, give what you can. Any amount will help. Without your help, we will have to close our doors.
Interview
Marcia Posner: Neil, I love your books so much that I hesitate to part with them after reviewing them. By now I have quite a collection. Tell us how you became an illustrator. What is the back story?
Neil Waldman: I was raised in the blue-collar backstreets of the Bronx. My father and grandfather were factory workers. Our neighbors were plumbers, policemen, and janitors. But I always loved to draw and my mother encouraged me. In such a world, however, I had no idea that a college education might offer the chance to earn a living doing what I loved most, drawing and painting. Still, after high school, I did go on to college. And it worked! I have been fortunate to be able to illustrate many, many books, as you know, and support my family while doing so. After illustrating more than 50 books, dream images began bubbling up inside me. I imagined myself returning to the neighborhoods of my youth, finding young artists there, and helping to provide them with an escape route from the ghetto.
And so, with the help of the Children’s Aid Society, I created The Fred Dolan Art Academy. It is a free high school program that teaches the fundamentals of drawing and painting, builds student portfolios, and aids the students in the college entry process. We have been in existence for five years now. To date, 14 students have graduated from the academy — all 14 going on to college. Our graduates have been accepted at the Rhode Island School of Design, the Chicago Art Institute, N.Y.U., F.I.T., and a host of others.
MP: You are a “Big Dreamer” yourself. Does the book under review connect in some way with your wishes and dreams for the children in the Fred Dolan Art Academy?
NW: Absolutely. The Land of Big Dreamers details the remarkable possibilities that have filled the history of this great nation. It is a book about courage, and the fulfillment of dreams that have always been possible here. It is dedicated to the teachers of the Fred Dolan Art Academy, people who exemplify that ideal by helping underprivileged artists to transform their lives, and realize their own American dreams.
MP: That’s beautiful.
NW: It is really wonderful, but we now find ourselves in serious trouble. In the current economic climate, our funds have been cut by 40%. I’ve been told that in order to retain the program, I will have to begin turning students away, reduce the number of classes, and purchase inferior art supplies. In order to keep our school afloat, we have to raise at least $15,000 by the coming school year.
MP: Perhaps our JBW readers can help you fund the Academy; after all, it trains the future illustrators of children’s books.
NW: That would be wonderful! Let’s try: I am asking for your help. $150 will provide art supplies for one student for a year. $600 will provide art supplies for that same student over the four years of high school. Tax deductible donations should be made out to the Fred Dolan Art Academy, and mailed to The Children’s Aid Society, 105 East 22nd Street, New York, NY 10010.
Please, give what you can. Any amount will help. Without your help, we will have to close our doors.
Marcia W. Posner, Ph.D., of the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County, is the library and program director. An author and playwright herself, she loves reviewing for JBW and reading all the other reviews and articles in this marvelous periodical.
