About this book

James Castle was born two months premature on September 25, 1899, on a farm in Garden Valley, Idaho. He was deaf, mute, autistic, and probably dyslexic. He didn't walk until he was four; he would never learn to speak, write, read, or use sign language.

Yet, today Castle's artwork hangs in major museums throughout the world. The Philadelphia Museum of Art opened "James Castle: A Retrospective" in 2008. The 2013 Venice Biennale included eleven works by Castle in the feature exhibition "The Encyclopedic Palace." And his reputation continues to grow.

Caldecott Medal winner Allen Say, author of the acclaimed memoir Drawing from Memory, takes readers through an imagined look at Castle's childhood, allows them to experience his emergence as an artist despite the overwhelming difficulties he faced, and ultimately reveals the triumphs that he would go on to achieve.

Reviews

Praise for Drawing from Memory:

"Approached from almost any angle, this book is a treasure." -- Washington Post

* "Aesthetically superb; this will fascinate comics readers and budding artists while creating new Say fans." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review

* "Illustrations are richly detailed and infused with warmth . . . . Readers of all ages will be inspired by the young Say's drive and determination." -- School Library Journal, starred review

* "Throughout, you can see canny artistic choices being made -- color here, monochrome there, a cartoon, a snapshot -- that reinforce content with appropriate form." -- Horn Book, starred review

* "There's a thoughtful, measured quality to Say's modest storytelling . . . . As visual as it is textual." -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review

"As the story of a young artist's coming of age, Say's account is complex, poignant, and unfailingly honest. Say's fans -- and those who also feel the pull of the artist's life -- will be captivated." -- Publishers Weekly


Praise for The Inker's Shadow:

"A wealth of graceful ink portraits, drawings, and paintings, and a provocative view of postwar America from the outside in." -- Publishers Weekly

"The illustrations are a pleasing combination of watercolor cartoon panels . . . and black-and-white sketches . . . . Together, the two combine to provide an engaging and thoughtful view of the intersection of art and life." -- Horn Book

"Say weaves an ultimately optimistic story of the 'American Dream' . . . . With beautiful artwork and an engaging story, this affecting account will resonate with all ages." -- Booklist


Praise for The Favorite Daughter:

"Caldecott-winner Say's . . . meticulous draftsmanship and openhearted honesty make this a memorable piece of autobiography." -- Publishers Weekly

"Say's command of watercolor, ink, and pencil develops the visual narrative through a combination of uncluttered interiors . . . . A sensitive addition to the canon of picture books about children coming to terms with being 'different.'" -- School Library Journal