[.ca] A Prairie Boy's Summer (ISBN 0785726543)

PICTORIAL VIGNETTES OF THE CANADIAN PRAIRIE:
It only takes 30 minutes to read this charming book of 20 pictures, with text on the opposite page, but do yourself a favor and savor it longer. Don't expect any plot, theme or character development, yet this gem charms by its honest simplicity, as it celebrates a by-gone era of farming on the Canadian prairie. The famous Canadian author/illustrator has captured the flavor of carefree, rural childhood in the 1930's and preserved it for future generations to discover and enjoy. Kurelek treats each topic with quiet dignity: chores, games, weather, special occasions, and adult life as viewed by irrepressible children. Both text and illustrations are rich in detail. This volume is a companion to his "A PRAIRIE BOY'S WINTER," one of the New York Times' Best Illustrated books of 1973. A relaxing read for those who want to escape the hurried 90's and nestle into a time of agrarian innocence.

Award-winning classic children's book sure to capture the interest and hearts of all readers--and, not only on summer days!:
A Prairie Boy's Summer has garnered numerous awards since its publication in 1975: A New York Times Outstanding Book of the Year, 1975; A Children's Book Council Showcase Book Award, 1976; Canadian Association of Children's Librarians, Best Illustrated Book, 1976; IODE Book of the Year, 1976; and, also in 1976, the Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Illustrator's Award. The original paintings of A Prairie Boy's Summer are on extended loan to the Art Gallery of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada, from the collections of Hiram Walker & Sons Ltd., Walkersville, Ontario, Canada. Support for the publication of this children's book was received from the Canada Council for the Arts. Financial support was received from the Government of Canada through the Book Publishing Industry Development Program. William Kurelek (1927-1977) was a Canadian realist artist (landscape painter and highly regarded illustrator of children's books) and writer--the eldest of seven children born to Ukrainian immigrant parents in Alberta, Canada. He received an arts degree from the University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, in 1949; studied at the Ontario College of Art; and, at the Instituto Allende in Mexico. In the 1950s, he lived in England, and "had paintings in the Royal Academy Summer Exhibitions from 1956 to 1958." His art and writings were "influenced by his childhood on the prairies, his Ukrainian-Canadian roots, and his Roman Catholic religion" (he converted from Ukrainian Orthodox in 1957). Since religion was a very real, important part of his life and a source of inspiration for his works, many of his paintings have titles with quotes from Biblical scriptures, and even his initial "W" on his artwork shows a cross. In 1976, he was made a Member of the Order of Canada. When he died a year later, he was Canada's best known painter. "The four books he had created for children...were honored by 22 major national and international awards." By the time of his death, Kurelek had produced over 2,000 paintings. His books have been published in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, Austria, Denmark, Finland, Holland and Greenland. "Since his death, two additional books have been published by Tundra: Fox Mykyta, the great Ukrainian folk tale, which he illustrated with 72 drawings; and, The Polish Canadians, his series of paintings of the early struggles and courage of that immigrant group. His ambition was to paint the history of all of Canada's varied peoples. He succeeded in leaving his vision of the Inuit, French-Canadians, Irish, Ukrainians, and Poles, as well as of Christians and Jews." The rock band Van Halen used parts of his painting The Maze (1953) on the cover of their 1981 album, Fair Warning. The Maze is available through libraries. The National Film Board of Canada has put out a video, Kurelek, which is ten minutes in length and touches on the artist/writer's life. Currently in the making is a feaure-length documentary film, `William Kurelek: The People's Painter.' It has received initial funding from Bravo Television and the Canadian Television Fund for research and development. "The Kurelek film project has received the support of Jean Kurelek, the artist's widow, and her family and Av Isaacs, Kurelek's art dealer. Completion is slated for early 2010. Award-winning Ukrainian-Canadian director Halya Kuchmij has thirty years' experience at the CBC and the National Film Board, and has won over 50 awards nationally and internationally." For a more detailed description of the film and Halya Kuchmij, please read the July 13, 2008 issue of The Ukrainian Weekly. Kurelek's stories and artwork are based on real-life experiences--he grew up on a grain farm in Alberta and on a dairy farm in Manitoba. The main character in A Prairie Boy's Summer is named William (as is he); the stories narrated are also a repertoire from his past, making the book autobiographical in a real sense. Each of the twenty vignettes ("his writing was always tied to his art") relates a unique summer's story of life on a farm on the Canadian prairie as experienced by twelve-year old William, and is colorfully illustrated on the facing page. The opening vignette introduces the end of the school year, which is the beginning of summer. As we greet summer's entrance, we're exposed to William's sundry chores, games, and daily encounters. Join him on his school's quest to win The Shield; learn whether William preferred to play baseball or softball; savor lunch menus and meal preferences; accompany William on the last day of school, known as Field Day; see William's cat, Kitka (the Ukrainian word for cat), get dive-bombed by swallows; let William explain killdeers; encounter a "devil's wedding" (a Ukrainian name); learn how to make hay; cultivate corn; milk a cow; and, accompany William on other adventures throughout the ensuing months. Soon, summer would end, and "a sure sign that autumn was taking over" was threshing time. William shares his twelfth summer in a personal, poignant way--as a father might, passing on his childhood recollections to his kids. Relive summer's 1930s history on Canada's prairie as seen through the thoughts and eyes of a special, sensitive young artist, William. A five-star recommendation for a classic children's book sure to be reread and enjoyed often by both children and adults!--Mandrivnyk, Arlington Heights, IL, USA.