Hazel Rochman (Booklist, Feb. 15, 2003 (Vol. 99, No. 12))
The work of the landmark Harlem Renaissance painter Romare Bearden is the story behind the story in this handsome picture book that shows how he used paint and collage to create his amazing art. Told as fiction through the eyes of Bearden's young nephew James, who is visiting New York City from North Carolina, the words and pictures express what James sees and feels in the exciting neighborhood streets, what he remembers of home, and how the storytelling scraps relate to Bearden's art. Lagarrigue, who illustrated Nikki Grimes' My Man Blue (1999), once again uses expressive paintings to capture the "beat and bounce" of the city and the powerful bond between a boy and a loving father figure. This would be a stimulating model for art classes, and Hartfield ends with a useful double-page spread encouraging students to create their own storytelling combinations. The collage elements in Lagarrigue's vibrant acrylic pictures are less prominent than in Bearden's own work, but they add depth and rhythm to the beautiful painterly narrative that will introduce many children to the famous artist's life and work. Category: Books for the Young--Fiction. 2002, Dial, $16.99. K-Gr. 3.

Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz (Children's Literature)
The African American artist Romare Bearden and the world in which he lived are fascinatingly recreated in this fictional story of a young nephew from North Carolina who visits him one summer. James is apprehensive about staying with these unknown relatives, but they welcome him. Aunt Nanette shows him the sights of the city. When she must leave for a while, Uncle Romie takes time from his preparation for a big art show to share memories of his youth in North Carolina and his love of trains, while giving James a birthday to remember. James has a chance to see his uncle's art show before he returns home, and inspired by a gift painting, to try his own. Although Lagarrigue's acrylic and collage paintings provide effective portraits of the characters with enough contextual details to create a sense of place, they are more significant in their ability to provide atmosphere for the psychological environment of James's adventure. Expressionistic, and exploring the darker tones of pigments, they incorporate bits of newsprint collage which subtly add structure while hinting at Bearden's medium. Teachers, parents, and readers might find the final two-page "Making Collage" lesson useful and interesting but it detracts a bit from the story's humanistic strength. Hartfield has added facts on Bearden's life. 2002, Dial Books for Young Readers/Penguin Putnam, $16.99. Ages 5 to 9.

CCBC (Cooperative Children's Book Center Choices, 2003)
Sent to stay with family in New York City while his parents await the birth of twins, young James is not thrilled about spending time with his uncle, an artist who looks like a "bald-headed, fierce-eyed giant." But Uncle Romie spends his days behind the closed door of his studio. It is Aunt Nanette who takes James all over the city, and it's Harlem that James especially loves. When Aunt Nanette has to leave unexpectedly, James finds himself facing days alone with Uncle Romie, and the prospect for a bleak birthday celebration. Then he ventures into Uncle Romie's studio. "What a glorious mess!...It's Harlem, I thought. The people, the music, the rooftops, and the stoops...I could feel Harlem-its beat and bounce." A fictional story features African American collage artist Romare Bearden and his work, as conveyed through the eyes of a young African American boy who not only discovers the wonders of his uncle's art but also the warmth of his character. Information for children on creating storytelling collages is included at the end of this volume that is supported by the Romare Bearden Foundation "as a way to introduce his art and personal history to children." CCBC categories: Picture Books For Older Children; The Arts; Biography And Autobiography; Historical People, Places, And Events. 2002, Dial, 40 pages, $16.99. Ages 6-10.

Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, December 1, 2002 (Vol. 70, No. 23))
This tribute to collage artist Romare Bearden is movingly executed in a fictionalized story of young James, who visits his aunt and uncle in New York while his parents adjust to the arrival of twins. James is a little nervous; Uncle Romie and Aunt Nanette don't have any kids, and a picture of Uncle Romie makes him look a little scary. Who will bake him a lemon cake and take him to the baseball game on his birthday? Aunt Nanette turns out to be warmhearted and welcoming, but Uncle Romie, busy with his art, seems a little distant. When the big day arrives, Uncle Romie turns out to be more fun that James anticipated. When James enters the art studio for the first time, he recognizes Harlem in Romie's collage paintings that he'd previously dismissed as "kinda easy" to make, and he sees one that reminds him of North Carolina, where Uncle Romie also grew up. Uncle and nephew bond a little over shared memories of home, and then Uncle Romie surprises James with tickets to the ballgame. Aunt Nanette is back in time for cake, and by the time James goes home, his horizons have expanded not only in terms of his family, but in his appreciation for other places and for the power of art. So many things at home now remind him of Uncle Romie that he makes a collage birthday card for him featuring train schedules, tiger lilies, a subway token and subway map, and his own painting. Lagarrigue's (Freedom Summer, 2001, etc.) collage artwork, like Bearden's, possesses a real feel for the Harlem setting without actually being realistic. He conveys the essence of the place through bits of paper, darkly colored paint, and impressionistically blurry portrayals of people and scenes. A guide at the back to help young artists create their own collages enhances this fitting introduction to an American artist. 2002, Dial, $16.99. Category: Picture book. Ages 5 to 8. © 2002 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Deborah Stevenson (The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, January 2003 (Vol. 56, No. 5))
James is uncertain about leaving his parents behind in North Carolina for a summer in New York City with his aunt and uncle (he’s especially worried about spending his birthday away from home). Aunt Nanette’s affection soon allows him to feel comfortable in his relatives’ apartment, but when she’s called away unexpectedly, he’s left only with Uncle Romie. Initially intimidated by his imposing artist uncle, James soon discovers he’s a congenial companion and becomes intrigued by Romie’s collage art, some of which depicts James’--and Romie’s--North Carolina home. Uncle Romie is based on artist Romare Bearden, and some of the memories Uncle Romie shares with James are based on Bearden’s art, but ultimately Bearden’s connection to the book is fairly tenuous; fortunately, the fictional story stands on its own, offering a quiet and sympathetic account of a boy’s discovery of his loving uncle and the powers of art. Lagarrigue wisely avoids imitating Bearden’s style, instead offering subtle underlays of collage, mostly newspaper, that add richness and delicate patterning to the spreads. The striations of his orderly brushstrokes enhance the texture further, provide a feeling of three-dimensionality and order, and, in combination with his twilight palette and smeary acrylic hues, vividly recall the work of Degas. While this could serve as an introduction to a discussion about Bearden, it also offers an invitation to the world of art that would complement Brian Karas’ The Class Artist (BCCB 9/01). A guide to making collage is included, as is a brief note about the life of Romare Bearden. Review Code: R -- Recommended. (c) Copyright 2003, The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. 2002, Dial, 40p, $16.99. Ages 6-9 yrs.

Horn Book (The Horn Book Guide, Spring 2003)
A young boy spends a summer in Harlem with his aunt and his uncle, the artist Romare Bearden. For the most part, Hartfield's text is successful at smoothly incorporating into the story information about the artist. Lagarrigue's acrylic and collage illustrations pay homage to Bearden's work. Appended are a brief biography of Bearden and instructions on how to create collages. Category: Picture Books. 2002, Dial, 40pp, $16.99. Ages 4 to 9. Rating: 3: Recommended, satisfactory in style, content, and/or illustration.