The People's Painter; How Ben Shahn Fought for Justice With Art by Cynthia LevinsonCall Number: Biographies ND237.S465 L48 2021
Robert F. Sibert Award Winner
"The first thing I can remember," Ben Shahn said, "I drew." As an observant young child growing up in Lithuania, Ben yearns to draw everything he sees - and, after seeing his father banished by the Czar for demanding workers' rights, he develops a keen sense of justice, too. So when Ben and the rest of his family make their way to America, Ben brings with him both his sharp artistic eye and his desire to fight for what's right. As he grows, he speaks for justice through his art - from challenging classmates who bully him for being Jewish, to resisting his teachers' calls to paint beautiful landscapes in favor of painting stories true to life, to using his work to urge the US government to pass Depression-era laws that help people find food and security. This book honors an artist, immigrant, and activist whose work still resonates, as Shahn was a true painter for the people." -- Provided by publisher.