An Abundance of Light: A Story of Matisse in Morocco

Gr 2-4–The book opens in a gloomy, drab place. Henri Matisse is drawn in sketch-style illustrations of heavy bleak charcoal, the depths of his dark mood weighing down the pages. He feels lost and artistically uninspired. At a friend’s suggestion, Matisse journeys to Morocco where there is supposed to be endless sunlight. As the narrative progresses, readers are greeted with warm swaths of color. Matisse’s early attempts to paint create a splotches of hues in a sea of black and gray. As he becomes open to the world around him, a striking color palette emerges. A revelation comes when Matisse encounters Moroccan sights that make him think of home. In succinct but buoyant narrative, the artist discovers he can only produce watercolor masterpieces when he’s reminded who he is. End notes include a brief overview of Matisse’s youth and real experiences in Tangier, Morocco.