Tiger by Morris Hirschfield, 1940. On display at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. A note from Emma Wood It is still 2019, but by the time you read this, it will be 2020—so happy new year! I have spent the holiday visiting with my family—my parents as well as my brother, his wife, and my newborn nephew—in my hometown, New York City. This morning, my husband and I braved the freezing rain for a trip to see the recently renovated Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). We saw many old favorites as well as some new pieces that the renovation had created room for. I am not sure whether this painting, Tiger, by Morris Hirshfield, was previously on display or not, but this time I was really struck by it (as well as by his other paintings). I love the tiger’s expressive, strangely human face, which seems simultaneously fierce and curious, as well as his long, plump body. I love the cloud-striped sky that echoes the black stripes on the tiger’s coat. And I especially love the three birds perched in the tree in the bottom-left corner. This is obviously not a realistic depiction of a tiger in a landscape, and I love it for that reason; it is playful and funny while also being complex and serious. I love it for another reason: it reminds me of some of the art we see submitted to Stone Soup. Morris Hirshfield, the painter, was what is known as an “outsider artist.” This means that he had no formal training as an artist. In fact, before he began to paint, Hirshfield owned a business that manufactured women’s clothing and another company that made slippers! Outsider artists have a special kinship with child artists as many children begin making art without any formal training or at least without much knowledge about the history of art. It is helpful and very valuable to eventually learn the history of your field, but working without that knowledge can also be freeing—and mean your own work is more unusual and distinctive. I hope this painting will inspire you to go create something similarly strange, striking, and beautiful. Until next week, Highlights from the past week online Don’t miss the latest content from our Book Reviewers and Young Bloggers at Stonesoup.com! Calliope, 10, reviews Alex Gino’s book George. Read how Calliope immediately fell in love with the book and how the story features similarities to E.B. White’s classic Charlotte’s Web. A video on the blog this week! Caitlin Goh, 13, created a movie from the photos and videos she took while on vacation to the beaches in Normandy, France, where D-Day took place during World War II. Watch the video on the blog here or on our YouTube channel here. Contest, partnership, & project news We are excited to read through your submissions to our personal narrative contest and are gearing up for a photography contest as well as our second annual book contest in 2020. Stay tuned! From Stone Soup January 2020 The life of a ghost By Mazzi Maycotte, 10 (Austin TX) to go to school I cross 2 rivers, 1 lake, a pond, 1 mountain, and 2 hills then I raise my hand but no one calls on me I ask a question and no one answers me Why oh why do I have the life of a Ghost Read this poem (and more from the January issue) here. Stone Soup is published by Children’s Art Foundation-Stone Soup Inc., a 501(c)(3) educational nonprofit organization registered in the United States of America, EIN: 23-7317498. Stone Soup’s Advisors: Abby Austin, Mike Axelrod, Annabelle Baird, Jem Burch, Evelyn Chen, Juliet Fraser, Zoe Hall, Montanna Harling, Alicia & Joe Havilland, Lara Katz, Rebecca Kilroy, Christine Leishman, Julie Minnis, Jessica Opolko, Tara Prakash, Denise Prata, Logan Roberts, Emily Tarco, Rebecca Ramos Velasquez, Susan Wilky.
Stone Soup Magazine for young readers, writers, and artists
Film: Remembrance (75th anniversary D day montage)
https://youtu.be/I7sXPz9U7KY My music has a military feel paired with a more “grey” tone in a slower tempo to convey the atmosphere for a piece on remembrance so we do not forget the past. I chose the sounds of the piano, flute and drums. Drum represents the light military beat, piano the base layer and for contrasting or duet with the flute (main voice). The flute can be used to express both happy and sadness. My physical experience of being present at the various different D-day sites while listening to stories told my our guide, in addition to seeing reenactment vehicles that were setting up was more powerful than reading all the books on the topic. We visited the following areas related to D-day: Normandy beach, Juno beach, Utah beach, Omaha beach, Pointe du Hoc and Normandy American cemetery. You can physically feel the courage, fear, will and the enormous disadvantages the Allies soldiers had to overcome to break through at each of the locations. I do not think you can truly understand without going there yourself and hope to share a little through my music paired to my family video
George, Reviewed by Calliope, 10
I read one page of the novel George by Alex Gino, and was hooked. One chapter, and I fell in love. When the book was sad, I fought back tears. When it was happy, I pumped my fists in the air and shouted for joy. George is a current story that sets out to tell the truth. The truth of a girl who knows she is a girl, but was born in a boy’s body. This is a story of determination, courage and love. It is a journey of self-discovery and you as the reader are going through it alongside the main character, Melissa. Melissa is a transgender girl in the fourth grade. To the rest of the world she is known as George. Melissa is the name she calls herself in the mirror. However, Melissa keeps this a secret from everyone in her life, including her mother and big brother, Scott, and her best friend, Kelly, because she is afraid that they won’t love and accept her. Therefore, Melissa goes through her days feeling alone. When Melissa’s teacher announces that the class will perform a production of Charlotte’s Web, Melissa really wants to be Charlotte, the spider. While she and Kelly practice Charlotte’s lines together, Melissa loves saying the spider’s lines out loud. She feels that if she gets the part of Charlotte she will not only enjoy the role, but she will finally get to show her school and her family who she truly is. When the day of auditions finally comes, Melissa bravely begins to try out for Charlotte, beginning with the spider’s famous greeting, “Salutations.” Abruptly, Melissa’s teacher stops her and tells her that only the girls are allowed to try out for the spider’s role. Melissa is devastated, until she and her best friend Kelly hatch a plan. All of the characters in this novel are incredible. Melissa is kind, shy and brilliant. Kelly, Melissa’s best friend, is witty, funny and sharp. Mom is kind-hearted and stubborn. Scott, the older brother, is understanding and funny. Rick and Jeff are the big bullies in this story. Although it is sad to see your favorite character being pushed around, in the end, it is rewarding to see them stand up for what she believes. It makes sense that Alex Gino chose E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web as the play in the book, because both Charlotte’s Web and George share the theme of friendship. Melissa and Kelly are the best of friends, just as Charlotte and Wilbur are. When Melissa finally tells Kelly that she is a girl inside, Kelly is confused at first, but she comes to realize that this is who Melissa is and it won’t change their friendship. This gives Melissa the confidence to take a bold risk in front of her everyone she cares about. Both George and Charlotte’s Web are incredible pieces of literature that show us how friendship can inspire acceptance and self-confidence. Alex Gino is a fantastic writer who tells a story similar to their own. I am not surprised that George has won so many medals. If I were going to write a book, it would be like this one, because it is a beautiful story that shows its readers how to live honestly as ourselves. George has inspired me to be more open with gender and my emotions. It has changed my life forever, and it will change yours too! George by Alex Gino. Scholastic, 2015. Buy the book here and support Stone Soup in the process! Have you read this book? Or do you plan on reading it? Let us know in the comments below!
