Product Description

It's market day, and everyone's going to the town square. But this is no ordinary market--it's a veritable feast of folk art from around the world, assembled with Lois Ehlert's impeccable eye for color and design. Whether you're looking for fruits, vegetables, or just an afternoon of fun, here's a shopping trip you won't want to miss! A simple introduction to folk art from an award-winning illustrator Includes a key detailing sources of the art used to create each piece Combined artistic and multicultural appeal a plus for teachers

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #522551 in Books
• Published on: 2000-05-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 36 pages

From Amazon.com
It's market day! Wake up and feed the red rooster and chickens. Get the vegetables ready, and let's go! This market is no run-of-the-mill everyday market. This is a farmer's market created entirely from folk-art objects and textiles. Collected and photographed by Lois Ehlert, these beautiful "primitive" pieces of art are stunning in color and form. A two-page reference guide at the end of the book describes where each object came from, and what it is made of. From Mexico to Africa to the United States to Indonesia, this stunning collection is worth many hours of perusal. The accompanying text, describing the day's journey to the market, and the activities to partake in once there, takes a distant second to the star of the show--the artwork. Cotton-and-yarn mice dolls from Indonesia ride an African motorcycle made from discarded metal containers, wire, bike chain, rubber, and plastic. A painted wood rooster from Guatemala watches over papier-mâché vegetables from the U.S. and Mexico. Market Day is a truly stunning picture book, sure to impress and enchant readers of all ages.

Caldecott winner Lois Ehlert is no stranger to arts-and-crafts-inspired picture books, as evidenced by her Hands and Snowballs, among many other unique and wonderful titles. (Ages 4 to 8) --Emilie Coulter

From Publishers Weekly
Ehlert (Hands) parades her personal collection of folk art, hailing from countries as diverse as Guatemala, Indonesia and Africa, across crisply designed pages in this exuberant picture book about the vendors and shoppers at a bustling open-air market. A brief, rhyming text describes a family's preparations for a day selling their wares at the local market ("Pull up some carrots./ Shake off the dirt./ Pack the tomatoes./ Tuck in your shirt"). Ehlert's arresting artwork gives this book a distinct south-of-the-border spice: she arranges photographs of dolls, animals, fruit and vegetablesDhand-crafted from such materials as carved, painted wood, pounded tin and woven, dyed fibersDin bright, busy collages on bold, often quilted backgrounds. Each of the unique objects within a scene inspires a sense of wonderment and invites closer inspection. Via art and story, kids are introduced to some of the intrinsic beauty of exotic places like Colombia, Mexico and Peru. A spectacular, tightly arranged two-page photo-catalogue at book's end entitled "Where did they come from? What are they made of?" will satisfy readers' curiosity about the composition and origins of the featured artifacts. Ehlert has indulged her passion for Latin American lore and culture before, notably in Cuckoo/Cuc# and Moon Rope, but readers will surely be glad she has revisited this terrain. Ages 3-7. (May)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 4-Ever-innovative Ehlert enlists brief, rhyming text and photographed folk art to illustrate the preparation for and journey to market to sell vegetables. Jewel-toned dolls, baskets, flowers, and toys from the Americas, Africa, China, and Indonesia tempt readers to touch the items to try to experience the mix of textures. Young children will be captivated by the rhythm and colors, while older students will be inspired by the glorious array of handmade objects. A concluding picture dictionary of the exhibited folk art identifies each piece by materials and country of origin. A festive outing, with a gorgeous assortment of objects in vivid, eye-catching colors.
Gay Lynn Van Vleck, Henrico County Library, Glen Allen, VA
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Customer Reviews

Beautiful folk art collage with a wonderful story!
Ms. Ehlert collects different types of handmade folk art from all over the world. In this collection, she has arranged items as varied as ice fishing decoys from the United States and beaded dolls from Africa to create a collage to illustrate this fun, colorful story.

It's market day, so let's feed the animals, pack up the veggies and the things to sell, and head on out to the market!! Along the way, we'll pass colorful birds and even snakes sunning themselves in the grass. We'll stay all day until the sun goes down and then head back home with all the wonderful things we've bought. Told in rhyme, "Market Day" is a colorful story with a lot of energy to it. A blue bull doll from Africa carries a giant carrot to market alongside a row of papier-mache turnips from the United States. A hand-carved cart with people from Mexico joins the procession, along with other art from Central America.

While she is perhaps best known for her illustration of the famous children's book, "Chicka-Chicka Boom Boom", Ms. Ehlert has written and illustrated many other books as well. All have her distinctive cut-paper or photograph style to them, but I would rank "Market Day" as one of my favorites by her. In a world where very FEW things are made by hand, "Market Day" is a welcome reminder of the fine art of everyday. Highly recommended!

Rhyming fun
My four-year-old daughter is fasinated by the simple rhyming text and bright folk art pictures of this book. I think younger children would likewise enjoy it. We also like to read all the countries of origin for the various folk art pieces at the back of the book.

Hooray! Hooray! For Market Day!
The pictures flow, As do the words. It's full of fish, And frogs, and birds. A trip to market, From a farm. And all and all There's lots of charm.