Jim!Six True Stories about One Great Artist: James Marshall
Review posted September 6, 2025.
Dial Books for Young Readers, 2025. 72 pages.
Review written September 3, 2025, from a library book.
Starred Review
The perfect picture book biography exists, and I have just read it!
Jerrold Connors takes six stories that give us the essence of James Marshall's life, and he relates them with words and art that perfectly mimic James Marshall's style. The stories even have the punch of a George and Martha story!
I adore the George and Martha books, and this book borrows their format in a brilliant homage to their creator. The stories are numbered, as in George and Martha. They are: "The Book," about creating Miss Nelson Is Missing with his friend Harry; "How Cute!" about how annoying it was to have his work called cute and his history as a classical musician; "Friendly Competition," about his friends Maurice (Maurice wears a "Wild Thing" shirt.) and Arnold, who were also writers; "The Award" about how he would have liked to win an award but how his partner Billy reminded him that great art is about putting yourself in your work; "The School Visit" about his second-grade teacher who told him he'd never be an artist and served as the inspiration for Viola Swamp; and "The Hospital," about how kids will remember him, because kids are really smart.
An Author's Note ties it all together with more details about James Marshall's life, but please be aware that my summary doesn't begin to convey the charm of this book. Anyone who loves George and Martha (and who could possibly not?) will be absolutely delighted with this book.