Bryant, Jen.
A SPLASH OF RED : THE LIFE AND ART OF HORACE PIPPIN
New York : Knopf, 2013
IL K-3, RL 3.1
ISBN 0375967125

(2 booktalks)

Booktalk #1

On February 22, 1888, a young boy named Horace was born in Pennsylvania.  By the time Horace was three, he was drawing.  He would use charcoal from the stove and draw whenever he could.  When he won an artist's kit, he was finally able to add color to his drawings.  As a young man, Horace went to war and his right arm was injured.  He could no longer draw.  Oh how he longed to be able to capture the images in his head.  One day he decided to try something new.  He tried using his left hand to support his right and started painting.  Would this work?

Booktalk #2

Horace always loved to draw and paint.  Even when he was very young, his friends and family asked him to draw their favorite scenes.  Throughout his life Horace had many challenges to overcome on his way to becoming an artist.  His family was very poor leaving very little money for painting supplies.  Horace had to leave school in eighth grade to help financially support his family. He became a soldier and while fighting was seriously injured.  He no longer was able to use his right arm.  Doctors told him he would never paint again, but  Horace never lost his desire to paint.  He used his good arm to strengthen and train his weak arm.  Once again, he was an artist creating realistic paintings with a splash of red.  Persisting through all of his challenges Horace Pippin became an American master painter.  (Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award, 2015)

         		African Americans -- Biography.
			Painters.
			Picture books for children.