The Sunflowers: Vincent van Gogh's Search for Beauty

Ages 4 to 8

Vincent Van Gogh struggles to find inspiration and confidence in his art in this breathtaking nonfiction picture book from award-winning author and illustrator Zahra Marwan.

Vincent van Gogh paints what others consider inelegant. But those sunflowers bring happiness to his troubled heart.

And it isn't until he begins traveling that his world opens up to new friends and new ideas that help his heart and art thrive more than he could have ever imagined.

Zahra Marwan has crafted a breathtaking slice of Vincent van Gogh’s life in The Sunflowers, filled with dreamy watercolor artwork. And while it is based on van Gogh’s real life, it’s so much more than that. It expresses how we should do what we love, despite the words of harsh critics. It's a story about friendship, broadening your horizons, and a safe and welcoming community.

About the Author

Zahra Marwan grew up in two deserts: one close to the sea in Kuwait, the other close to the mountains in New Mexico. She is a fine artist who exhibits extensively and has won international awards and fellowships, including a New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Children's Book, NPR Best Books of 2022, an Ezra Jack Keats Honor for Illustration, a Dilys Evans Founders Award from the Society of Illustrators, and more. She studied the visual arts in France and currently lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where she keeps a small studio at the Harwood Art Center.