The Sunflowers: Vincent van Gogh’s Search for Beauty

Gr 1-4–From the gray streets of Paris to sunny Arles in France, this slice-of-life story about Vincent van Gogh and his beloved sunflower paintings is a delightful glimpse into the artist’s life. When van Gogh met fellow artist Paul Gaugin in Paris, the two very much admired each other’s work and decided to travel together to a sunnier location to live and paint. Van Gogh spent time alone in Arles, writing letters, experimenting with different colors, making painting after painting, enjoying a period of happiness, while he listened closely to his troubled heart. Rich descriptive language (“It was like speaking poetry just by arranging colors”) accompanies dreamy and delicate illustrations in watercolor, ink, pen, and pencil. Soft yellows, blues, and greens mimic van Gogh’s own palette. One spread shows the two artists surrounded by color wheels. Readers familiar with van Gogh’s work will enjoy finding references to some of his other famous subjects, such as wheat fields, the yellow house, and a starry sky. Includes an author’s note.