From WHEN THE CHICKENS WENT ON STRIKE by Erica Silverman, Copyright 2003,published by Dutton Children's Books, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group
©2003  Matthew Trueman
Client: Dutton Children's Books
Medium: Acrylic & Mixed Media
Size:Various Sizes
Use:Children Book

AWARDS
New York Public Library Children's Books 2003:
One Hundred Titles for Reading and Sharing
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2003 Sydney Taylor Honor Book for Younger Readers
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Museum of American Illustration at the Society of Illustrators
The Original Art 2003:  Celebrating the Fine Art of Children's Book Illustration
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2004 Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People
May/June 2004 issue of SOCIAL EDUCATION,
published by the National Council for the Social Studies.

REVIEWS
"Trueman's layered paintings have a smooth glaze over mottled colors that enriches
the fine-etched human figures as well as the highly expressive chickens (victorious
white-lined fowl even cavorts across the hen-red endpapers).
Hebrew lettering on the picture of a book at the story's end has a double meaning:
not only is this the end of the story,but it;s also the end of a custom challenged by
child and chicken...".By BETSY HEARNE
From the Bulletin
Copyright 2003 Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
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"Newcomer Trueman's wonderful mixed-media paintings of ink, pencil, and gouache humorously
capture the Eastern European setting and the melodramatic reactions of the villagers. Satirical
and absurdly appropriate for this ludicrous and outdated rite. "(Folklore. 5-9)
From Kirkus Review
Copyright ©2003, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
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"Trueman's comically angry freedom-fighting chickens aptly reflect the humor of the tale.
The rich,dark colors of his mixed media paintings evoke the Old World setting, while the
cocked heads and slightly skewed angles suggest the work of another depicter of
Russian-Jewish village life, Aleicheim's contemporary Marc Chagall.By L.A
From Horn Book, July/August 2003
Copyright ©2003, The Horn Book Magazine All rights reserved.
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"Debut illustrator Trueman does justice to this multi-level story with carefully layered paintings
that achieve subtle but tactile dimensions. His human figures bear a likeness to the geometric
features of Mitra Modarressi's characters, but their faces are comically askew, their proportions
as exaggerated as the fractured logic of Silverman's text dictates. The Rosh Ashana motif not
withstanding, this wise and funny book might be enjoyed at all times of year, by a wide range
of readers." Ages 5-9.
From Publishers Weekly,August 2003
Copyright ©2003, Publishers Weekly.All rights reserved.
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"The comic alliteration and in-your-beak attitude of the cheeky chickens, reinforced by the
handsomely humorous paintings, are appealing. Executed in layers of ink, pencil, gouache,
acrylic, and oil, the illustrations are a wonderful combination of modern and folk art.
The fiercely funny fowl, with long necks, whitish bodies, and rich red coxcombs, squawk right off the page.
Good New Year's-let alone Rosh Hashanah-stories are in short supply. This is one to crow about."
By NANCY PALMER, The Little School, Bellevue, WA
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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"Trueman's stylistically inventive mixed-media illustrations, rich in earth tones, are visually striking.
They juxtapose well with Silverman's understated yet humorous text; both include many nineteenth-
century Russian setting details. A perfect choice for holiday read-alouds, this will make a welcome
addition to religious collections, especially in libraries where there is a Jewish audience".
By KAY WEISMAN
from Booklist, September 2003
Copyright ©2003 American Library Association. All rights reserved
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"A star among all of the Jewish children's books published in 2003 is
When the Chickens Went On Strike by Erica Silverman (Illus. by Matthew
Trueman. Dutton, 2003, 32 pp., $15.99)...Each page
of text is supported by mobile, descriptive art in earth tones that
captures the spirit of shtetl life just as Sholom Aleichem preserved it
in his writings...  Written for children ages 6-10, like most outstanding
children's books, it will appeal to all ages."
CLEVELAND JEWISH NEWS
By: LINDA R. SILVER Special to the CJN
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Nomination:
"he rich illustrations, a successful blend of the traditional and
the modern, complement this well told story. This is a meticulously
crafted book."
CAPITOL BOOKS FOR CHILDREN recommendations:
Silverman, Erica
Illustrated by Matthew Trueman
WHEN THE CHICKENS WENT ON STRIKE
Dutton Children's Books; ISBN: 0525468625; $15.99; September
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" Adapted from a tale by Sholom Aleichem, with
sophisticated art from Matthew Trueman, this book is suitable for
children, ages 5 - 8, and their grownups as well."
PAGES, BOOKS FOR CHILDREN
NEW!