Pocket Full of Colors: The Magical World of Mary Blair

by Amy Guglielmo (Author) Brigette Barrager (Illustrator)

Pocket Full of Colors: The Magical World of Mary Blair
Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade
From her imaginative childhood to her career as an illustrator, designer, and animator for Walt Disney Studios, Mary Blair wouldn't play by the rules. At a time when studios wanted to hire men and think in black and white, Mary painted the world in color. Full color.
Select format:
Hardcover
$18.99

School Library Journal

K-Gr 4 —This picture book biography of Mary Blair reveals a woman who thought outside the box and beyond the "rules" of art. Digitally rendered illustrations assist in telling the story of the artist who followed her own vision and relished playing with color. The pictures show paint swirling off the artwork Blair created, emphasizing her desire to be free to do what came naturally. A variety of hues with which readers may not be familiar are introduced, such as sienna, azure, viridian, cerulean, and mauve. Blair accepted a position with Walt Disney Studios during the Depression, assuming the company would welcome her artistic flair. The scene of her first day at work depicts her dressed in teal and pink while the other illustrators, all men, wear black, brown, gray, and white—foretelling the resistance to individuality she encountered. Blair soon resigned from that position and found satisfaction in illustrating books and advertisements, but years later Walt Disney himself hired her back. He appreciated her unconventional use of color and wanted it for the "It's a Small World" ride he designed for the 1964 World's Fair. The ending spread pays homage to that very ride, showing a slew of kids, dressed in cultural costumes, holding hands; however, this depiction reinforces many stereotypes and will likely need to be followed by a discussion. VERDICT Budding artists will enjoy learning about Blair and her persistence in obeying her instincts and creating art that pleased her.—Maryann H. Owen, Oak Creek Public Library, WI

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Publishers Weekly

The aesthetic of artist Mary Blair has had an outsize impact on the children's book world, and now her life story gets its own book. Throughout, Guglielmo (the Touch the Art series) and Tourville (Albie's First Word) emphasize the sexism and artistic pushback Blair faced and her unabashed love of color: "On her first day of work, the men in charge didn't want to talk about cerulean or celadon or cerise." Barrager (Uni the Unicorn) laces her vibrant images with visual references to Blair's memorable work for such films as Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan. An effervescent tribute that doesn't sugarcoat Blair's path to success. Ages 4-8. Author's agent: (for Guglielmo) Stephen Barbara, Inkwell Management; (for Tourville) Brianne Johnson, Writers House. Illustrator's agent: Kirsten Hall, Catbird Agency. (Aug.)

Copyright 2017 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

"Walt Disney Studios were pretty solidly a man's world when Mary Blair and her passionate love of zingy color reported to work in 1940 . . . [K]ids and their adult readers...will be rewarded with a story of a woman worth knowing, and they will enjoy the '60s mod colorscape and collage-like retro design that echos Blair's 'Small World' achievement."—BCCB "July/August 2017 "
Amy Guglielmo
Amy Guglielmo is an artist, an arts educator, and an arts advocate. She has co-authored the picture books Pocket Full of Colors: The Magical World of Mary Blair, winner of the Christopher Award, and How to Build a Hug: Temple Grandin and Her Amazing Squeeze Machine. She is also the co-author of the Touch the Art series of novelty board books featuring famous works of art with tactile additions. She lives on Lake Champlain with her husband. Visit her at amyguglielmo.com and on Twitter @amyguglielmo.

Brett Helquist has illustrated many books for children, including the bestselling A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket. He is also the illustrator of the picture books Guitar Genius: How Les Paul Engineered the Solid-Body Electric Guitar and Rocked the World by Kim Tomsic and Martina & Chrissie: The Greatest Rivalry in the History of Sports by Phil Bildner, among others. He lives with his family in Brooklyn, New York. Learn more at bretthelquist.com and on Instagram @bhelquist.
Classification
Non-fiction
ISBN-13
9781481461313
Lexile Measure
790
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Publication date
August 29, 2017
Series
-
BISAC categories
JNF007010 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Biography & Autobiography | Art
JNF007120 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Biography & Autobiography | Women
JNF006010 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Art | Cartooning
Library of Congress categories
Biographies
United States
Animators
Women animators
Blair, Mary

Subscribe to our delicious e-newsletter!