(1) K-3 Illustrated by Elizabeth Haidle. In his author's note, Neri (When Paul Met Artie, rev. 3/18) mentions that he met Christo and Jeanne-Claude briefly in the early 2000s and was able to interview Christo before the artist's 2020 death. This enlightening picture-book biography is infused with the author's respect for the unorthodox couple and their artistic legacy. The book focuses on the husband and wife's symbiotic creative partnership. As Neri tells it, when Jeanne-Claude first encounters Christo's small-scale (at the time) wrapped sculptures, her questions could be our own: "Why are you wrapping these silly objects in cloth and rope?" As she comes to understand Christo's vision and mission, readers do too. The dialogue-heavy text itself is a creative risk that pays off. Neri explains that, while some dialogue is from quotations, "as a narrative device, I've put their ideas into the context of a conversation to illustrate their back-and-forth...and highlight the concepts they played with." Haidle's (Before They Were Artists) energetic mixed-media illustrations in an understated earth-tone palette help convey the interactive spirit of the text and reflect art's relationship with the natural world. Read alongside Boxer's Covered in Color: Christo & Jeanne-Claude's Fabrics of Freedom (rev. 11/22); each book brings a different approach to its subjects. A bibliography and "fun facts" about the artists are appended. (Source notes for the quotations are listed on the author's website.)

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2023

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Susanna Chapman. This reverent picture-book biography of the art-world pair (focused mainly on Christo) begins with a formative moment in the young man's life. While Nazis search his Bulgarian town for Russian propaganda, Christo's family burns his beloved Russian art books. Nazism is followed by Communism, under which Christo can create only state-sanctioned art; and Boxer draws a through line betweeen political repression and Christo's eventual conception of his and Jeanne-Claude's artwork as "a scream of freedom." Christo later meets and falls in love with Jeanne-Claude in France; the couple moves to New York, where they begin to execute their large-scale art projects, wrapping buildings, coastlines, and islands, and scattering umbrellas across California and Japan. In 2005, they realize their dream of constructing The Gates: twenty-three miles of saffron-curtained archways winding through Central Park. Chapman's loose, diaphanous illustrations capture the whimsy and exuberance of Christo and Jeanne-Claude's art. Figures peek through the luminous layers of watercolor as if wrapped in sheer curtains, and abstract designs depict times of emotional turmoil and triumph. Author and artist notes offer more biographical details and invite readers to contemplate the meaning behind the art installations, and a list of recommended sources encourages further exploration of this idiosyncratic pair.

Reviewer: K Rachael Stein | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2022

(1) 4-6 In addition to chronicling the evolution of The Gates and other pursuits, this book introduces readers to the nature of artistic vision, the role of collaboration, and the dedication of artists. The writing is lively, including many quotes from Christo and Jeanne-Claude. Crisp, vibrant photographs and detailed reproductions of Christo's drawings show both the behind-the-scenes labor and the finished projects. Bib.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2009