This official picture book biography of the iconic American painter and TV host shows how he fell in love with painting and wanted to inspire others to find joy in their happy accidents.
When I was younger, I spent a lot of time at my Grandmother’s house while my mom worked. Since she didn’t have cable, PBS was one of the only interesting channels to watch. On Saturdays, I would watch The Joy of Painting with Bob Ross along with the rest of the world. His intricate landscapes and “happy little trees” fascinated me. I grew up wishing I could paint like him and although I do love painting, my skills are nowhere near his brilliance. My love for the show and Bob Ross drew me to This is Your World: The Story of Bob Ross by Sophia Gholz.
The picture biography explores Bob’s early life as a child growing up with a love of nature, his enlistment in the US Air Force, his found love for painting, and ends with his iconic television show. This lovely book brings the world of Bob Ross to a younger generation with its beautifully colored images and easy-to-read text. Aside from these elements, and probably my favorite element of this book, are the Bob Ross quotes included in its pages. Having watched his shows so often, I could hear the quotes in his calm and whisper-like voice while reading them. The pages at the end of the book also include more information about Bob, his paintings, the paint colors he used, and some definitions of art terms used in the book.
While this picture book biography is wonderful, it would have been great if they included some photographs of Bob and/or his artwork. However, this book is a wonderful tribute to Bob Ross, his legacy, his fans, and his ability to make us believe in those “happy little accidents.”
- Heather, Thibodaux Branch Manager
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