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Children's Nonfiction Art

No Horses in the House!

The Audacious Life of Artist Rosa Bonheur

by (author) Mireille Messier

illustrated by Anna Bron

Publisher
Orca Book Publishers
Initial publish date
Mar 2023
Category
Art, LGBTQ+, Self-Esteem & Self-Reliance, Homosexuality
  • Hardback

    ISBN
    9781459833524
    Publish Date
    Mar 2023
    List Price
    $21.95
  • eBook

    ISBN
    9781459833548
    Publish Date
    Mar 2023
    List Price
    $27.99

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Where to buy it

Recommended Age, Grade, and Reading Levels

  • Age: 6 to 8
  • Grade: 1 to 3
  • Reading age: 6 to 8

Description

“Scenes unfold with cinematic flair...Bonheur’s tenacity and determination will resonate with children, whether or not they’re familiar with her art.”—Quill & Quire, starred review

Based on the incredible life of the pioneering, feminist and queer artist Rosa Bonheur, this charming story depicts Rosa's early years and her drive to fight for her dreams.

Rosa Bonheur loved to draw animals. She was good at it too! Unfortunately, in nineteenth-century France, girls were not allowed to be artists. But Rosa didn't let that stop her. In this fictionalized account of her early life in Paris, Rosa studies art at home, bringing a menagerie of animals into the apartment to study up close. When she is kicked out of the horse market for sneaking in wearing boys clothing, Rosa must think creatively to challenge the rules in pursuit of her dream of becoming a world-class realist painter and artist.

About the authors

Mireille Messier est une autrice jeunesse née à Montréal, qui a grandi à Ottawa et qui habite maintenant à Toronto. Elle a travaillé dans les domaines de la radiodiffusion et du théâtre. Mireille a publié plus de trente livres en français ou en anglais destinés aux enfants de tous les âges, dont l’album Sergent Billy: La vraie histoire du chevreau devenu soldat. Son album Ma branche préférée a été mis en nomination pour les prix Shining Willow, Blue Spruce et pour les Prix littéraires du Gouverneur général du Canada. Avant de devenir autrice, Mireille a été animatrice à la télévision et à la radio, scénariste, critique littéraire — des domaines dans lesquels elle œuvre toujours de temps à autre. Mireille vit à Toronto avec cinq chats, deux oiseaux et plus d’une centaine de poissons rouges (mais pas de chevaux !).

Mireille Messier's profile page

Anna Bron est née en Russie et a immigré au Canada à l’âge de neuf ans. Elle a eu la chance d’avoir des parents qui l’ont encouragée à faire carrière dans les arts. Adolescente, elle fréquente une école des beaux-arts, puis étudie le cinéma d’animation traditionnel au collège Sheridan. Peu après l’obtention de son diplôme, elle devient illustratrice et animatrice, travaillant sur un large éventail de projets allant de l’illustration de livres et de magazines jeunesse à la conception et réalisation de publicités et de courts métrages. Elle vit à Vancouver, en Colombie-Britannique.

Anna Bron's profile page

Editorial Reviews

“Readers will revel in the lifelike animal paintings…The artwork here sprawls beautifully across spreads, showing…a tiny but confident Rosa surrounded by naysayers as well as her beloved animals, potential creations swirling around the scenes as they pour from her mind.”

Booklist

“A vivid glimpse of [Bonheur’s] character…Gives the artist’s personality its due.”

Kirkus Reviews

“A story of female empowerment and persistence...a fun and wonderful book of courage and endurance against the odds. Highly Recommended.”

CM: Canadian Review of Materials

“Cheerful...art and general studies teachers alike will gravitate to the story that highlights an artist rarely covered in school curriculum, especially someone who toppled every roadblock to live her dreams. Recommended.”

School Library Connection

★“Scenes unfold with cinematic flair...Bonheur’s tenacity and determination will resonate with children, whether or not they’re familiar with her art.”

Quill & Quire, starred review

Other titles by Mireille Messier

Other titles by Anna Bron

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