Drawing From Memory

Link to Amazon

DRAWING FROM MEMORY follows the story of artist Allen Say as he realizes that his dream is to become an artist, and the journey he took to get there. This story could be confusing for younger readers to follow, as the storyline does not follow a clear path from page to page. The story is a mixture of paragraphs, comic boxes, drawings, and captions. Readers will be interested in the culture of this artist, as well as how his choice to become an artist was viewed by his family.

This story shows aspects of the Japanese culture in the regional literature theme. Readers are shown how children are raised in this culture, as well as what is expected of them. School customs are also shown in this book. Since the story is a biography readers will get a true sense of life in this culture, from daily chores, food, and family relationships.

A book that is similar to this one is one that is also reviewed on this blog, THE HOUSE THAT BABA BUILT. This story also follows a young artist in his culture, but this one is about China. Students can compare and contrast these two stories and the cultures they represent. They can also compare and contrast their culture with the ones in the stories, creating a three part venn diagram. This could be a perfect time for students to share interesting points about their cultures and their dreams.
This book was reviewed by School Library Journal, an excerpt of the review follows:

This "journey through memories" uses a scrapbook format featuring the author's photographs, sketches, drawings, and comic-style panels. Say shares his love of comics and the important influence they have in his art. The book is a poignant tribute to his mentor, Japanese cartoonist Noro Shinpei.α(c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc.

Citation

Say, A. (2011). Drawing from memory. New York, NY: Scholastic Press.