The People's Painter

By Cynthia Levinson, Evan Turk (Illustrator)

An artist fights for justice through his powerful art in a new land.

4.2/5 Goodreads · 692 ratings

48 pages

$18.99Save 7%

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Bookroo's summary

Ben Shahn, a young artist from Lithuania, arrives in America with a passion for justice. Witnessing his father's exile ignites his resolve to use art as a voice against injustice. As he grows, Ben challenges bullies, defies teachers, and advocates for laws to aid the struggling. His art becomes a powerful tool for change, capturing the struggles and hopes of the people. Will his vision inspire a nation to see beyond beauty and embrace truth? Discover the story of an immigrant artist who painted for the people and left a lasting impact.

From the publisher

A lyrically told, exquisitely illustrated biography of influential Jewish artist and activist Ben Shahn “The first thing I can remember,” Ben said, “I drew.” As an observant child growing up in Lithuania, Ben Shahn yearns to draw everything he sees–and, after seeing his father banished by the Czar for demanding workers’ rights, he develops a keen sense of justice, too. So when Ben and the rest of his family make their way to America, Ben brings both his sharp artistic eye and his desire to fight for what’s right. As he grows, he speaks for justice through his art–by disarming classmates who bully him because he’s Jewish, by defying his teachers’ insistence that he paint beautiful landscapes rather than true stories, by urging the US government to pass Depression-era laws to help people find food and jobs. In this moving and timely portrait, award-winning author Cynthia Levinson and illustrator Evan Turk honor an artist, immigrant, and activist whose work still resonates today: a true painter for the people.