Take a Picture of Me, James Van Der Zee!

By Andrea J. Loney, Keith Mallett
Hardcover: $20.95

A biography of James Van Der Zee, innovative and celebrated African American photographer of the Harlem Renaissance.

Description

James VanDerZee was just a young boy when he saved enough money to buy his first camera. He took photos of his family, classmates, and anyone who would sit still for a portrait. By the fifth grade, James was the school photographer and unofficial town photographer.

Eventually he outgrew his small town and moved to the exciting, fast-paced world of New York City. After being told by his boss that no one would want his or her photo taken “by a black man,” James opened his own portrait studio in Harlem. He took photographs of legendary figures of the Harlem Renaissance-politicians such as Marcus Garvey, performers including Florence Mills, Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, and Mamie Smith-and ordinary folks in the neighborhood too. Everyone wanted fancy portraits by James VanDerZee.

Winner of Lee & Low’s New Voices Award, Take a Picture of Me, James VanDerZee! tells the story of a groundbreaking artist who chronicled an important era in Harlem and showed the beauty and pride of its people.

About the Creators

Andrea J. Loney
Andrea J. Loney

Andrea Loney is a screenwriter with an MFA in dramatic writing from New York University. She won the 2014 Lee & Low New Voices Award for Take a Picture of Me, James VanDerZee!. Loney lives in California.

Keith Mallett

Keith Mallett has been drawing and painting for as long as he can remember. As an artist and designer, he has created posters and fine art prints for more than thirty years. He had the pleasure of attending the original James VanDerZee exhibit, "Harlem on my Mind", at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and was delighted to work on this biography. Mallett lives in San Diego, California, with his wife and their German Shepherd.

Awards

  • CCBC Choices

    Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)

  • Junior Library Guild Selection

    Junior Library Guild

  • NAACP Image Awards Nominee

    National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)

  • Eureka! Nonfiction Children's Book Award

    California Reading Association

Reviews

  • * "An absorbing debut. . . Mallett's lush acrylic paintings glow with a golden light in several scenes, treating his subject. . . with the same reverence VanDerZee brought to his work."

    - Publishers Weekly
  • * "The vibrant illustrations paired with the lively text make Take a Picture of Me, James VanDerZee! a picture book biography that truly shares the beauty VanDerZee saw in his heart."

    - Shelf Awareness
  • "The art will help readers to visualize this iconic setting and imbues a sense of pride in one of Harlem's unsung heroes. A fascinating addition to the picture-book biography shelf."

    - Booklist
  • "A fascinating look at the development of early photography, the life of an African-American artist, and the world of the Harlem Renaissance."

    - Kirkus Reviews
  • "Vivid visuals and comprehensive text combine for an excellent resource for biography collections."

    - School Library Journal

Hardcover

  • ISBN 9781620142608
  • Publication Date Jul 24, 2017
  • Trim Size 10.5 × 9 in
  • Weight 0.4375 lbs
  • Page Count 40
  • Interests

  • Audience Children
  • BISAC Category 1 JNF / Biography & Autobiography / Art
  • BISAC Category 2 JNF / History / United States / 20th Century
  • BISAC Category 3 JNF / Photography
  • Themes African / African American / Black, Biography / Memoir, Childhood Experiences and Memories, Conflict resolution, Cultural Diversity, Discrimination, Dreams & Aspirations, Empathy / Compassion, Informational / Expository Nonfiction, Nonfiction, Occupations, Optimism / Enthusiasm, Overcoming Obstacles, Persistence / Grit, Pride, Social & Emotional Learning, Tolerance / Acceptance, United States History
  • Reading Levels

  • Age Range Ages 7 - 11
  • Grade Range Grades 2 - 7
  • Guided Reading S
  • ATOS Book Level 4.3
  • DRA 40
  • Interest Level Grades 2 - 5
  • Lexile Level 970
  • Reading Level Grades 3 - 4
  • Bebop Reading Fluent
  • This Book is Included in These Collections:

    • 68
      African American English Collection Grades 3-6
      Collection of 68 books: $966.60

      441 in stock

    • 18
      Art and The Arts Collection
      Collection of 18 books: $259.10