Jean-Michel Basquiat by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara
The Quarto Group
Frances Lincoln Children's Books
Children's Nonfiction
Pub Date 16 Jun 2020 | Archive Date 27 May 2020
Review on Goodreads; https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3293995518?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1

This book is based on the short life of the artist Jean-Michel Basquiat. Using illustrations and text to tell us who he was., very Basquiat thing to do..

It seems the books has used Basquiat's on methods to show us who he was.

Unfortunately I do think that the book glazes over Basquiat's addictive lifestyle, it dose not leave the reader knowing that he died at 27 of an overdose, broke and friendless. Granted it is something difficult to talk about in a kids book but it was a missed teachable moment. It also ignores the fact that while Warhol was friends with Basquiat in the beginning once the public turned on Jean-Michel so did Warhol who even belittled him at times.

I admit that this was probably my least favorite of the bunch as I didn't feel that it gave the reader any sense of what Basquait's art was really like. He was such a huge persona in the 1980s art scene and all we really got was that he used spray paint and did graffiti. I wish there had been samples of his work.

Facing adversity, overcoming obstacles, integrating different mediums into your artistry, and influencing change - this book has it all. Jean-Michel did not have an easy childhood, however he did not let that stop him from pursuing his dreams. There is much to be learned from this talented artist, and his story is a great one to show how art doesn’t have to be something specific. Perfect story to spark creativity.

Received e-ARC for unbiased review.

I didn't know who Jean-Michel Basquiat was going into this book, which doesn't happen often with Little People, Big Dreams. It was a nice change to learn about some from history along with my kids.

I always look forward to reading the latest entries in this wonderful series that features little people with big dreams.  This time Ms. Vegara Sanchez is writing about the artist Basquiat.  She is joined by the illustrator who contributes a great deal to the look and feel of this title.


Young readers will learn that Jean-Michel loved art from the young age of four.  He found his calling early in life.  Children will learn that he had his own unique contributions to make to the art world and that he became close friends with another well known artist, Andy Warhol. 


Kids who read this book will know that art can be made in many ways.  That is a good lesson to learn along with the reminder to follow one's passion.


Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.

I feel super conflicted about this book. I wouldn't read it to my kids because it isn't made clear that painting on buildings is actually vandalism. It was beautifully illustrated and Basquiat's story would certainly be inspirational for artistic children. I am personally just not comfortable with how that aspect of his history was addressed.

Not my favourite Little people, Big Dreams book in the series due to the way Jean-Michel died. (Not mentioned in the story, of course) I still found this story about the well know artist interesting. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my digital copy.

I don't know much about art, so I didn't know Jean-Michel. But I liked it. It is good to see books that address the most diverse outstanding personalities in each area.

I thought this was a great book about such an influential artist. It was presented in an easy way and is a great introduction to biographies. It is great for classrooms and homes and for any children learning about art and artists.

Inspiring addition to the series

Jean-Michel Basquiat was an important African American artist in the late 1970s and the 1980s. He had quite a lot of hardships to overcome, and ultimately died an untimely death at just 27 from a heroin overdose. This book depicts his early life growing up and eventually becoming an artist inspiring millions. The book is beautifully illustrated with colorful, detailed pictures of Jean-Michael growing up in NYC and contains a short biography at the end. A story to inspire kids (and adults) to follow their passion.

Beautiful and heartwarming in these anxious times. The artwork is--as it always is in this series--stunning, inviting one to linger over the details and return to the images over and over. The images of him and Warhol are particularly lovely.

5 out of 5 🌟 Playful and charming biography

Little People, Big Dreams are short books for children about exceptional people who shaped our world. They're enjoyable pieces of non-fiction to enjoy by children. I love biographies of people who dared to be different, and these short books are one of my favorites.

What I especially like about the series ‘Little People, Big Dreams’ are simple and friendly illustrations to make children feel it was truly made for them. 'Jean-Michel Basquiat' was illustrated by Luciano Lozano who did a great job creating playful and charming cartoonish artworks.

I love reading about new things along with my son and the life of Jean-Michel Basquiat was a learning curve for both of us. Even if this short book is destined for children, it contains a lot of information concentrated on an encyclopedic-style page at the end. Most importantly, everything is put in a simple and small kids-friendly way that also speaks to adults. Another must-have to my collection!

<i>Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and feelings are my own.</i>

Again, this is a picture book biography of a person I never heard about. Kind of sad that I heard about Andy Warhol, but not about this artist. But then, it's a fun way to discover new stories.

The first time I have had the feeling that a lot of story was compressed and that it doesn't necessarily fit into the format. On the plus side, reading this book intrigued me and now I want to go out and learn more about this person, which should be the reaction to a short introduction, I guess.

I believe that the art style of this book is my favourite from all the different ones I've read in this series so far, and I hope that we'll get more from this illustrator in the future.

I recieved a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a good entry in this popular series. The artwork was fitting for Jean-Michel’s style. It can also be used to start age-appropriate conversations on social issues.

Jean-Michel Basquiat is spotlighted in this latest edition of the Little People, BIG DREAMS series by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara. This series is such a delight and the perfect way to educate not just kids but everyone about historic and cultural icons. I have always been a huge fan of Basquiat's art so I couldn't wait to learn more about his life. This book, though designed for children, taught me about Basquiat's parents, his start in graffiti, and even his friendship with Andy Warhol. Luciano Lozano illustrates this installment and does an exquisite job. I absolutely loved Lozano's art style and appreciated how it further helped tell Basquiat's story. I love collecting these books and am so thrilled to add this one to the rest of my collection.

I like Vegara's Little People, Big Dreams series, because I've found them to be a gentle introduction into biographies for younger children. I think of them as a young child equivalent of the Who Was...? series for elementary students. The illustrations are great, and the story and text are very approachable for young audiences. I also like how all the books have a short biography section in the back. I do wish there was a bibliography for further reading, but maybe that's not necessary for the audience this series is trying to reach.

This title is a good introduction to Basquiat, although it definitely glosses over the troubled parts of his life. As a children's librarian, I struggle with the tension between wanting books to be age-appropriate, while also feeling that it's important to not shield children from the realities of life. While this book is a decent primer to Basquiat, I found myself comparing it to Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat by Javaka Steptoe, which I think is a superior book (also a Caldecott winner!).

Although I like the Little People, Big Dreams series, I think this one depicts a version of Basquiant's life that is too sanitized and cheerful for me to fully get behind.

Thanks to Net Galley for providing a free copy of this book for an honest review!

I love the books in this series and I couldn’t wait to read this one on Jean-Michel Basquiat (mainly as I will be 100% honest – I had no idea who he was!)

I love that these books give an insight in to the back stories of some of the most influential people in the world. The Little People, Big Dreams series is one I always look out for.

This book introduced me to Basquiat who sounds like a fascinating character and I did go online after finishing the book to read more about him too so it worked for me as an adult too.

I really enjoyed it, 4 stars from me, highly recommended!

This book is an excellent illistration of a fraction of the life of jean-Michel Basquiat, that gives enough information that an older reader may want to look more into the life of the artist, while not being too long as to make children lose interest.
Unlike some of the other books that I have read in this series, I entered this book without knowing too much about the person being described, however I don't think this hindered my reading experience in the slightest. The colour pallette that was chosen for the artwork within the book really suited the tone of the story. Highly recommend

Another great addition from Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara, this one I didn’t know too much about so it’s great to learn things you didn’t know. These books are great for little people, but they also teach big people new things too. Wonderful illustrations as always and well written.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

Another great book in this series. Small details make such a difference - I loved the pattern in his mother's dress and the image of the graffiti with the bridge in the background.

I love how accessible the stories are for kids and wish that they'd been around when I was a kid.