Dazzle ships : World War I and the art of confusion

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Title:

Dazzle ships : World War I and the art of confusion

Alternate title:

World War I and the art of confusion

Author:

Barton, Chris, author.

Ngai, Victo, 1988- illustrator.

Summary:

"When the British Royal Navy grew desperate to protect their ship from German U-Boat attacks, they created Dazzle ships in order to confuse the enemy of their location and destination."-- Provided by publisher.

Audience:

Grades K-3.

Physical Description:

1 volume (unpaged) : color illustrations ; 29 cm

Program Information:

Accelerated Reader LG 6.1 0.5.

Accelerated Reader AR LG 6.1 0.5 189562.

Subject Term:

Warships -- Juvenile literature.

Camouflage (Military science) -- Juvenile literature.

World War, 1914-1918 -- Juvenile literature.

Author(s):

Ngai, Victo, 1988-

Publisher:

Millbrook Press,

Publication Date:

2017

ISBN:

9781512410143

Publication Information:

Minnneapolis : Millbrook Press, [2017]

Call Number:

J 940.4 BARTON

Holds: Copies:

Available:*

Item Barcode	Collection	Call Number	Status	Item Holds
33607003302356	Juvenile Nonfiction	940.4 BARTON	Searching... Unknown	Searching... Unavailable

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Summary

A visually stunning look at innovative and eye-popping measures used to protect ships during World War I.During World War I, British and American ships were painted with bold colors and crazy patterns from bow to stern. Why would anyone put such eye-catching designs on ships?Desperate to protect ships from German torpedo attacks, British lieutenant-commander Norman Wilkinson proposed what became known as dazzle. These stunning patterns and colors were meant to confuse the enemy about a ship's speed and direction. By the end of the war, more than four thousand ships had been painted with these mesmerizing designs.Author Chris Barton and illustrator Victo Ngai vividly bring to life this little-known story of how the unlikely and the improbable became just plain dazzling."[A] conversational, compelling, and visually arresting story . . ."--starred, Publishers Weekly"Barton's lively text is matched by Ngai's engrossing artwork, which employs dazzle techniques throughout her inventive spreads."--The Bulletin of the Center for Children's BooksNew York Public Library Best Books for KidsChildren's Book Committee at Bank Street College Best Children's Book of the Year

Reviews (2)

School Library Journal Review

Gr 2-6-During World War I, German U-boats attacked British commercial shipping and military vessels, which threatened to cause starvation in Britain. How could this new danger be thwarted? Artist Norman Wilkinson came up with a unique idea-to camouflage ships by painting them in erratic, wild, and uneven designs. The goal was to confuse and befuddle U-boat periscopes as to the speed and direction of their target by breaking up the ship's profile. Before the war was over, several thousand ships from the United States and Great Britain were painted, or "dazzled," in colorful patterns. This part of the war is thoughtfully presented, adapted from Chris Barton's 2017 picture book. Victo Ngai's illustrations are closely scanned and sometimes simply animated as Johnny Heller narrates the text set to taut, compelling music and appropriate sound effects. The disc includes a feature on the contribution of women artists who designed many of the patterns used, a time line of the war, and author and illustrator notes that expand on the role of art in our lives. VERDICT This extraordinary, fascinating look into a little-known historical event has multiple curriculum connections, from history to art. It would be a valuable addition to any collection and inspire viewers to do further research.-Teresa Bateman, Brigadoon Elementary, Federal Way, WA © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Publisher's Weekly Review

Dazzling in their own right, newcomer Ngai's illustrations strikingly depict the dazzle ships of WWI, more than 4,000 British and U.S. merchant and warships that were painted with wild colors and patterns. These "dazzle" designs, explains Barton (88 Instruments), "were supposed to confuse German submarine crews about the ships' direction and speed" and keep them safer from torpedo fire. Ngai runs with the camouflage theme in energetic scenes that are crisscrossed with geometric and organic patterns and lines: in one spread, the uniform jacket of British naval officer Norman Wilkinson, who proposed the dazzle painting idea, is masked by the curvilinear patterns and hues of the ocean waves in the background. "Sometimes desperate times call for dazzling measures," writes Barton in conclusion, underscoring the importance of creative problem solving. Reflective author and artist notes, a timeline with b&w photographs, and a reading list wrap up a conversational, compelling, and visually arresting story that coincides with the 100th anniversary of its subject. Ages 7-11. Author's agent: Erin Murphy, Erin Murphy Literary. Illustrator's agent: Gail Gaynin, Morgan Gaynin. (Sept.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.