Molly Bannaky, Alice McGill, Chris K. Soentpiet

Molly Bannaky, Alice McGill, illus Chris K. Soentpiet.  ISBN: 039572287X

Read Oct 4, 2013

Oversized picture book - oil paintings.

The illustrations in this book deserve a better-told story than what they are currently paired with.  McGill gives us the bare-bones, "just the facts, ma'am" with no feelings or interpretation or evocation of mood - leaving all that for the illustrations to carry.  And they do a great job, considering they've got to handle a slave-purchase, illegal marriage and kids, and then death, all within the space of three or four page-spreads.  

The cover painting is arresting, and the interior work does not disappoint, but the flat writing really does the story and the artist a disservice.  A short biographical and historical note at the end does more to liven up the tale than the actual text does!

I'd love to see these paintings re-purposed into a short chapter-book rendition of the story of these Americans, similar to the classic illustrated Robin Hood or Robinson Crusoe.  I think that the extra time and space to TELL the story in a more full and rich manner will then make the occasional beautiful artworks pop out even more.  As it is, it's beautiful, but not very interesting, which is impressive, given the subjects.