Christo and Jeanne-Claude Wrap the World

Gr 2-5--Art comes in many forms and its creators can be enigmatic and misrepresented by others. The work of Christo and Jeanne-Claude may be unfamiliar to most young readers but the challenge of defining art and the artist is always a worthy exploration. The life and creations of this enigmatic couple are the subjects of this book, which covers the nature of art and its role in society. Using imagined dialogue to bring the subjects to life, the questions and challenges of understanding their creations are placed squarely in the center of this text. The work they produced (and that is still being produced after their deaths) may be hard for some to understand but young readers will enjoy the spirit of the artists as they refused to conform to convention and challenged notions of art and creativity. The illustrations, done in mixed media and finished digitally, capture the complicated, challenging, wide-ranging world of Christo and Jeanne-Claude, their lives, process, and creations. Back matter includes further details, a fascinating collection of "fun facts," and additional resources. VERDICT A fascinating look into the creative process, this title is worthy of addition to most collections for its biographical material as well as its value for engaging young people in a discussion about the nature of art and the artistic process.--John Scott