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Metal Man
"There's a fire in me, just like that torch."
Devon visits the Metal Man at his fiery workshop every day, despite the scorching heat of the city where he lives. At the Metal Man's shop, sparks fly from his welding torch as he cuts and melts together old pieces of junk into works of art. Devon is fascinated by the Metal Man's creations. Then one day, the Metal Man lets Devon put his own imagination to work.
Aaron Reynolds's urban voice and the gritty illustrations of Paul Hoppe bring an exciting beat and pulse to the story of a young boy discovering his own voice and vision in art with a kind mentor to lead the way.
Devon visits the Metal Man at his fiery workshop every day, despite the scorching heat of the city where he lives. At the Metal Man's shop, sparks fly from his welding torch as he cuts and melts together old pieces of junk into works of art. Devon is fascinated by the Metal Man's creations. Then one day, the Metal Man lets Devon put his own imagination to work.
Aaron Reynolds's urban voice and the gritty illustrations of Paul Hoppe bring an exciting beat and pulse to the story of a young boy discovering his own voice and vision in art with a kind mentor to lead the way.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2008
About the author
Aaron Reynolds
53 books242 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
Aaron Reynolds is a New York Times Bestselling Author of many highly acclaimed books for kids, including Dude!, Creepy Carrots!, Creepy Pair of Underwear!, Nerdy Birdy, and tons more. He frequently visits schools and his highly participatory presentations are a blast for kids and teachers alike. He lives in the Chicago area with his wife, two kids, four cats, and between three and ten fish, depending on the day.
(source: Amazon)
Aaron Reynolds is a New York Times Bestselling Author of many highly acclaimed books for kids, including Dude!, Creepy Carrots!, Creepy Pair of Underwear!, Nerdy Birdy, and tons more. He frequently visits schools and his highly participatory presentations are a blast for kids and teachers alike. He lives in the Chicago area with his wife, two kids, four cats, and between three and ten fish, depending on the day.
(source: Amazon)
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
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April 19, 2021A young black boy, speaks AAVE lived in an apartment with his mom and little sister. He spent his days with a neighbor who made sculptures out of garbage.
*poetic/artistic portrayal
*poetic/artistic portrayal
June 21, 2010
This is a great story about seeing art in every day, and about doing art. (It's not a great story about how I can construct a sentence. Sorry about that one!)
The pictures are alive and active, and fit the words well.
The text... well, the text is written in a non-standard dialect. As far as I'm concerned, this is all for the best. It is GOOD for children to know that not everybody speaks the same way, that other people speak differently (or, alternatively, that there's nothing wrong with the way they speak at home). It is GOOD for people to have more than one way to speak. The person who has two dialects is twice as smart and able as the person who only has one. There is nothing shameful in speaking differently from one another, no more than there is in thinking differently. What a terribly dreary world this would be if we all spoke the same way! If you love language, you let it live, and languages live through changing.
But if you're the sort who prefers your language dead in the dictionary, please - read before you buy.
The pictures are alive and active, and fit the words well.
The text... well, the text is written in a non-standard dialect. As far as I'm concerned, this is all for the best. It is GOOD for children to know that not everybody speaks the same way, that other people speak differently (or, alternatively, that there's nothing wrong with the way they speak at home). It is GOOD for people to have more than one way to speak. The person who has two dialects is twice as smart and able as the person who only has one. There is nothing shameful in speaking differently from one another, no more than there is in thinking differently. What a terribly dreary world this would be if we all spoke the same way! If you love language, you let it live, and languages live through changing.
But if you're the sort who prefers your language dead in the dictionary, please - read before you buy.
January 4, 2017
I love the friendship between the little boy and the artist. The blurb says it all - and the book successfully lives up to the promise implicit there.
September 1, 2017
Neat story.
September 12, 2017
A beautiful story about role models, art, and so much more!
May 30, 2018
Read this aloud while waiting at a dealership. A room of kids 3-10 stopped playing to listen. A great read, particularly on a hot day. Inspired an afternoon of art.
July 8, 2024
Nice story.
March 19, 2009
Devon always heads over to where the metal man welds his sculptures. Today even though it is so very hot, he heads over to watch the sparks fly. His mother says that everything the metal man makes is junk: junk out of junk. But Devon still loves spending time there. This time, the sculptor asks Devon what he wants to make. He's never done that before. Devon has an idea, but is shy about sharing it until the sculptor tells him to "Bring it on out to play." So Devon tells him about the star house in his mind. The two set out to build it out of scraps of metal together and when Devon brings it home, his mother has to admit that this certainly isn't junk.
The text in this book has rhythm, an urban beat that makes for a great read aloud. The sculptor is a great example of an African-American man who is creative and caring. A figure too seldom seen in picture books. Hoppe's illustrations are thick-lined and nicely capture the wonder on Devon's face as he sees his idea come to life.
Recommended as a great book on sculpting, but also a wonderful book about community and it taking a village to raise a child. Appropriate for ages 5-8.
The text in this book has rhythm, an urban beat that makes for a great read aloud. The sculptor is a great example of an African-American man who is creative and caring. A figure too seldom seen in picture books. Hoppe's illustrations are thick-lined and nicely capture the wonder on Devon's face as he sees his idea come to life.
Recommended as a great book on sculpting, but also a wonderful book about community and it taking a village to raise a child. Appropriate for ages 5-8.
December 12, 2011
I missed this when it first came out, and only noticed it today. This is a wonderful little story about the impulse to create art.
Devon likes to spend his time hanging out with a neighbor who makes metal sculptures. His mother and his other family members don't understand why someone would "make junk out of junk," but Devon is fascinated by the process.
On one special day, the neighbor encourages Devon to express his own creative impulses, and makes a piece of Devon's own designing. It turns out beautifully, and helps Devon's mother to understand what the neighbor is really doing. It also helps Devon to understand how to fan the flames when there is a tiny spark of an idea.
I would show this to kids who are interested in creating things, but who are hesitant to try.
Devon likes to spend his time hanging out with a neighbor who makes metal sculptures. His mother and his other family members don't understand why someone would "make junk out of junk," but Devon is fascinated by the process.
On one special day, the neighbor encourages Devon to express his own creative impulses, and makes a piece of Devon's own designing. It turns out beautifully, and helps Devon's mother to understand what the neighbor is really doing. It also helps Devon to understand how to fan the flames when there is a tiny spark of an idea.
I would show this to kids who are interested in creating things, but who are hesitant to try.
August 28, 2013
I picked this book up at Source Books in Detroit (http://www.sourcebooksdetroit.com), a store I'd never been to before but happened to be passing by. And since I am powerless to resist bookstores, I went in "to look." And since it's far easier for me to justify buying books for my son rather than books for myself, I asked if they had a children's section. While they didn't have much, they did have Metal Man, which I suspected my four-year-old son would really like. And I was correct. I like that it depicts art as real work worth doing. My son likes that the Metal Man uses a fire torch. We both win.
June 18, 2014
Devon becomes fascinated by a man in the neighborhood who welds junk into sculptures. Metal Man shows Devon that he can be a sculptor too, coaxing the ideas from Devon's head until it becomes a physical work of art that he can take home and show his mother. This book is simple yet effective, teaching students that anyone can be an artist, especially when encouraged by a mentor.
April 22, 2015
A young boy finds inspiration in a man that makes art from junk metal. Mom is not convinced that the Metal Man is doing anything productive until she sees what her son has made with the help of his friend. An inspiring story that teaches how much even non family adults can be a good influence on a young child and affect a life. Nicely illustrated.
December 5, 2008
I really liked this one! I liked that the main characters are both male and African-American and creative. I like the bold art and the message that art can be made from "junk", that art has value. Good book.
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April 17, 2019We loved this book from the first reading. The illustrations are as sharp as the sparks that fly and the poetry really makes it soar.
Go to the Reading Tub for our review.
Go to the Reading Tub for our review.
January 17, 2013
In a young boy's mind's eye, he imagines a house inside of a star. The Metal Man, who makes beautiful sculptures from junk helps the boy realize what his imagination could only see, much to his mother's amazement and wonder.
July 26, 2013
The boys chose this book for bedtime from Reading Rainbow tonight and I fell absolutely in love with it. The illustrations are so rich, and the narrative nuanced in the best possible ways. Love love love.
August 12, 2013
My son got this book from his school library. We read it together. As a teacher, I thought of many instructional possibilities for this book including visualization, inference, and use of simile in writing.
October 8, 2008
We read this one several times. Good story about a boy who visits a metal artists. Also interesting to Leo since his dad has welding equipment.
April 1, 2009
A great read outloud book.
The illustrations and language are very expressive.
The illustrations and language are very expressive.
July 5, 2010
Devon loves to spend time watching a welder create things from junk. But on this trip to the welder's shop, the "metal man" lets the creation flow from Devon's ideas.
November 13, 2012
its really good! its about this boy and this grown up making a star house for the boy
June 7, 2014
Strong illustration, great use of descriptive language and encouragement - "Bring it out to play". Great read for kids and adults, especially teachers and those who teach.
January 24, 2016
I thought this was an extremely sweet book. Metal Man reminded me of someone dear in my childhood who taught me to bead. Just a really good read that made my daughter and I smile. I recommend.
November 13, 2012
how did he make that star!It was so amazing!
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews