Silent Days, Silent Dreams*

By Allen Say. This tribute to one of America's most original artists comes from the imagination of one of America's most original children's book illustrators, Allen Say. The story of James Castle’s pathway to art is nothing short of heroic. Born deaf and left mute by an unenlightened upbringing, Castle turned to creating his own world through art to escape his world of deprivation. Nothing stopped James Castle from becoming an artist. He had difficulty making friends, so he made them out of cardboard. He slept in a bare attic. But he filled it with visions of the cozy bed and room he longed for. They took away his art materials. So he made art from soot and paper from the trash. It is a story of overcoming obstacles at every turn. Hardbound: 64 pp. No additional discounts on sale items. All sales final.