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16 reviews for:
The Secret Kingdom: NEK Chand, a Changing India, and a Hidden World of Art
Barb Rosenstock
4.27 AVERAGE
16 reviews for:
The Secret Kingdom: NEK Chand, a Changing India, and a Hidden World of Art
Barb Rosenstock
4.27 AVERAGE
This is a fantastic example of how children's biographies can be accomplished, with enough background information, images, and supplemental information at the back to give more concrete context. Now I'll be doing a bit of research on the Rock Garden, getting to know this international treasure.
This is one of those stories that I had no idea existed in this world and I'm so glad I know it exists. This is a nonfiction account of a recycled artist in India. Nek grew up in a village listening to all these stories as a child. When India and Pakistan split their border, Nek had to move with his whole village to a new modern concrete city in India.
From there Nek is unhappy working in this concrete city with no village stories. He goes off into the edge of the jungle and begin to use recycled junk to make characters from his stories. He created a 12 acre rock garden to remember all these stories. He went 15 years without being found and then some authorities found this art space and wanted bulldoze it all, but the city found out about it an than came to see it and save it.
There is one real life fold-out photo of the real place and it's amazing looking. It's an interesting looking garden.
I thought this was an interesting story about real life. It might not be for every kid, but it's really interesting what people can do in life. I'm so glad I found this.
From there Nek is unhappy working in this concrete city with no village stories. He goes off into the edge of the jungle and begin to use recycled junk to make characters from his stories. He created a 12 acre rock garden to remember all these stories. He went 15 years without being found and then some authorities found this art space and wanted bulldoze it all, but the city found out about it an than came to see it and save it.
There is one real life fold-out photo of the real place and it's amazing looking. It's an interesting looking garden.
I thought this was an interesting story about real life. It might not be for every kid, but it's really interesting what people can do in life. I'm so glad I found this.
A rich biography of a unique artist uses illustrations and then has a full page fold out of photographs which is very effective.
I haven't yet met a Barb Rosenstock book I haven't loved. This might be the best one yet. It tells the story of Nek Chand, folk artist extraordinaire, who created a hidden world that reflected the multiple stories of the town he grew up in.
Claire A. Nivola's illustrations are stunning. The full spread of photographs near the end of the book shows the magnitude of the work.
Claire A. Nivola's illustrations are stunning. The full spread of photographs near the end of the book shows the magnitude of the work.
A nonfiction picture book look at the incredible Rock Garden of Chandigarh. Chand grew up happily in a small village in the Punjab region of India. He grew up there, hearing stories and building palaces on the sand near the river. As an adult, he became a farmer but everything changed when the partition of India happened in 1947. Forced from his home and into a city, Chand struggled to find the beauty he had grown up with. He finally discovered it in the jungle along the city’s edge. There he cut back the vegetation and built himself a hut. He started gathering items and bringing them into the jungle. Then he started building a secret kingdom, one that was undiscovered by anyone else for fifteen years. When the officials wanted it destroyed, the local community rose up to protect this outsider’s art.
Rosenstock manages to keep the complicated story of the partition of India to a scale that allows young readers to understand its impact on Chand, but also not get caught in the political details. She cleverly uses repetition of themes in the book, creating a feel of a traditional tale that suits this subject perfectly. She also shows the care and attention to detail that Chand demonstrated in his quiet work. There is a sense of awe around both his skill and his dedication to his vision.
Nivola’s art is fine-lined and marvelously detailed. From the lush jungle setting to the various figures he created. It is impressive that when the pages unfold to show photographs of the actual Rock Garden, there is no jarring moving from illustration to image. It flows naturally and yet allows the full images to amaze too.
A look at an outsider artist who created a world all his own. Appropriate for ages 4-7.
Rosenstock manages to keep the complicated story of the partition of India to a scale that allows young readers to understand its impact on Chand, but also not get caught in the political details. She cleverly uses repetition of themes in the book, creating a feel of a traditional tale that suits this subject perfectly. She also shows the care and attention to detail that Chand demonstrated in his quiet work. There is a sense of awe around both his skill and his dedication to his vision.
Nivola’s art is fine-lined and marvelously detailed. From the lush jungle setting to the various figures he created. It is impressive that when the pages unfold to show photographs of the actual Rock Garden, there is no jarring moving from illustration to image. It flows naturally and yet allows the full images to amaze too.
A look at an outsider artist who created a world all his own. Appropriate for ages 4-7.