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Gordon Parks: No Excuses Kindle Edition

by Ann Parr (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

3.9 24 ratings

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Gordon Parks: No Excuses is the award-winning biography of the acclaimed photographer by Ann Parr.

A Carter G. Woodson Honor Book
A Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People
Recipient of the Storytelling World Award Honor Title

Gordon Parks overcame the obstacles of poverty and racism and never gave up on his dreams. He attributes his drive for excellence to his mother who told him, “What a white boy can do, you can too—and no excuses.” The first black photographer for Life magazine, Gordon Parks spent over two decades as a professional photographer, and his resume grew to include novelist, musician, artist, and poet.

After reading a story about Gordon Parks in a Kansas newspaper, Ann Parr immediately set out to learn more about his life. She first interviewed the mayor of Fort Scott, Kansas, whose efforts healed wounds between Gordon Parks and his hometown, and then many of Parks’ friends. But it was after interviewing Parks in person that she knew she had a success story that would inspire generations.

Featuring forty-one vibrant black and white photographs and illustrations, this book features details of Gordon Parks’ life and his work, and includes his photographs of the poor, stylish Parisian models, and the Civil Rights movement.

“Gordon Parks is remarkable: a Renaissance man who has mastered photography, filmmaking, and writing. The story of his life is certainly an incredible one. Transcending voyeurism, Parks’ photographs reveal vulnerabilities of the human experience with grace and compassion. . . . Gordon Parks is an inspiration to us all.” —Booklist

Reading age

Baby - 11 years
Print length

41 pages
Language

English
Grade level

Preschool - 6
Publisher

Pelican Publishing
Publication date

March 31, 2006
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Word Wise

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Enhanced typesetting

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Sticky notes

On Kindle Scribe
ISBN-13

978-1589804111
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Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-6–Growing up during segregation did not stop Parks from determinedly pursuing a career in photography. What a white boy can do, you can too–and no excuses, his mother told him. His photographs seem to reflect extremes: haut-couture in Paris, poverty in Brazil, gang wars in Harlem, Civil Rights leaders, and more. The shadows in his photos and expressive low-lighting are entrancing, and it should be no surprise that he was employed by Life magazine for many years. This brief biography and cross section of his photography portfolio are interrupted with sketches that attempt to fill in the gaps when images of Parks did not exist. Though respectably detailed and realistic, they are stiff and awkward when coupled with Parks's stunning work. The sincerity within the photos of this recently deceased artist and the simple text tell a story of belief in oneself and strength to prevail over adversity.–Jodi Kearns, University of Akron, OH
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the hardcover edition.

From Booklist

Gr. 3-5. "What a white boy can do, you can, too--and no excuses" were the inspiring words acclaimed photographer Gordon Parks heard from his mother and took to heart. Unfortunately, though Parr interviewed Parks, Parr gives readers of this biography little more than the mantra, repeated over and over a scattering of black-and-white pencil drawings (including, apparently, one of Parr herself), and 41 black-and white photographs taken by Parks. Of course, what will enthrall readers are Parks' pictures, many of which were taken during his 25 years with Life magazine. The book's large-size, spacious design will bring young people close to the beautifully reproduced pictures, which demonstrate Parks' extraordinary use of light, dark, and shadow as they capture images of the poor living in cardboard boxes, gangs in Harlem, Paris fashion models, Malcolm X with his raised arm, and Parks himself. Hazel Rochman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the hardcover edition.

From the Inside Flap

2007 Carter G. Woodson Honor Book

A Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People 2007

Recipient of the 2007 Storytelling World Award Honor Title

Gordon Parks' mother told him, "What a white boy can do, you can too--and no excuses." At age sixteen, while working as a steward on the Northern Pacific Railroad, he discovered he wanted to be a photographer when he borrowed someone's Life magazine. The photographs of poor families were very disheartening to him; however, the photographs of Parisian fashions sparked his curiosity. Later, when he noticed a Life camera bag belonging to a train passenger, he got the courage to ask the photographer, Mr. Capa, about his job.

Although he grew up in poverty and faced many obstacles while pursuing his dreams, Parks' talent and perseverance always prevailed. He studied photographs, visited art museums, and read books about photography for years until finally he bought a camera and started taking pictures. His career officially started when a clerk in a camera shop saw his work and was so impressed that he gave him his own exhibit. Twelve years later, he became the first black photographer for Life magazine. Later he became a successful novelist, director, producer, screenwriter, and music composer. Parks is best known for his photographs of African Americans, and this book highlights those images that made him famous.

From growing up in poverty in Fort Scott, Kansas, to flourishing as an artist in New York City, Parks never forgot what his mother had told him. Parks' life story is sure to inspire children to use "no excuses" when pursuing their dreams.

"The sincerity within the photos of this. . . deceased artist and the simple text tell a story of belief in oneself and strength to prevail over adversity."
--School Library Journal

Ann Parr was born and raised in north-central Kansas. At age fifty-eight, she decided to return to school and earned her MFA in writing for children from Vermont College in 2004. After she read an article in her local newspaper about fellow native Kansan Gordon Parks, she was inspired to use his story for her first book.

--This text refers to the hardcover edition.

About the Author

Ann Parr has written many of the young-adult books in the Race Car Legends , Behind the Moves, and Wild Rides! series. Parr received her bachelor of arts degree in public school music education and her master of fine arts degree in writing for children from Vermont College. She is an accomplished writer and musician and lives in Kansas with her husband. --This text refers to the hardcover edition.

From the Publisher

"Gordon Parks is remarkable: a Renaissance man who has mastered photography, filmmaking, and writing. The story of his life is certainly an incredible one. Transcending voyeurism, Parks photographs reveal vulnerabilities of the human experience with grace and compassion. In his 90s and still driven to experience what the world has to offer, and to express his response to it, Gordon Parks is an inspiration to us all." --Janet St. John, Booklist --This text refers to the hardcover edition.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0BNSXVC9V
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Pelican Publishing (March 31, 2006)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 31, 2006
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 3585 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 41 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #2,238,881 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #206 in Children's Art Biographies (Kindle Store)
- #784 in Children's Prejudice & Racism books
- #959 in Children's People of Color Biographies

Customer Reviews:
3.9 24 ratings

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3.9 out of 5

24 global ratings

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Gayla L. Croan

Classrooom uses for No Excuses

Reviewed in the United States on August 15, 2012

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Gordon Parks: No Excuses is a wonderful selection to teach self responsibility in an elementary classroom. After reading this book with students, "No excuses" is heard as students deal with their own issues of responsibility during the school year.

One person found this helpful

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Fstop 72

none of his pics .. poor quality printing !

Reviewed in the United States on April 9, 2022

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poor printing ...none of his work ..

One person found this helpful

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roger reddickclassicclassics

Three Stars

Reviewed in the United States on April 8, 2015

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Not what I expected content wise.

One person found this helpful

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Ronald Morford

Inspiring and Beautiful

Reviewed in the United States on January 10, 2007

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This is a terrific book. It gives a great real life example of how it is possible to overcome many obstacles. I have used it to encourage my grandson in believing he can make a difference in his life and at the same time there are NO EXCUSES for failure. Great Pictures, simple text, great message.

3 people found this helpful

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Tucker D Bennett

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2017

What a great story.

doesn't do the man justice

Reviewed in the United States on January 24, 2008

This book is not well written or illustrated. My question is why don't the pictures go with the text? It must be a first book for her and I hope her next one will be better. Someone must do a better job of telling the story of the life of this magnificent person and artist. This book left me and the kids I read it to in school unmoved.

3 people found this helpful

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Aleeit Easley

Inspirational story

Reviewed in the United States on August 29, 2006

Author Ann Parr, tells the perhaps unknown inspirational story of a very well known photographer; writer, poet, and musician Gordon Parks. She does a very good job of not only telling the story of Gordon parks but also getting out the moral of his story.

This story my spark the mind of some kid somewhere to pick up a camera and follow a dream and become the next Gordon parks.

2 people found this helpful

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Ignacio Castro San Martin

Una pequeña curiosidad

Reviewed in Spain on April 1, 2014

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No excuses es una biografía ilustrada con fotografías y dibujos del autor. Muy pequeñito y más cercano a un cuento ilustrado para niños que a un libro de fotografía propiamente dicho. No está mal, pero no pasa de ser una mera curiosidad.

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Adam Monaghan

Way off the mark

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 20, 2012

Verified Purchase

OK, so you have one of the best photographers and you need to do a book. What to do? Ah, yes, fill half of the book with 2nd rate childrens drawings. Sorry, illustrations. It is an insult to Parks to put his work next to these 'illustrations'. And the text is clearly aimed at pre-school kids. Simply awful.
I was really looking forward to this book arriving. I always find looking at other photographers work inspiring and re-energising. For now, I shall go back to internet searches to see Parks' work.
Avoid this book at all costs. Find another one with more of Parks' actual work in it and go for that instead!

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