The Horn Book Guide

THE ARTS

Lossani, Chiara

Vincent van Gogh and the Colors of the Wind

32 pp. | Eerdmans | February, 2011 | Trade ISBN 978-0-8028-5390-5 $18.99

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Octavia Monaco. This volume describes van Gogh's life journey, from preacher to ever-evolving artist. Lossani's text meanders along, with a personified wind speaking to Vincent as his guide. Special attention is paid to the turbulent but passionate relationship with his brother, Theo, and to the artist's perpetual suffering. Illustrations that integrate reproductions of famous works are appropriately rich in color, but they're overly--and bizarrely--stylized.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen