A Brush with Napoleon

An exciting story of war, love, and art from National Book Award finalist Laban Carrick Hill

* Historical fiction that resonates with our own time
* Appealing blend of romance and action

Napoleon Crossing the Saint Bernard, one of the most famous paintings in Western art, is a piece of war propaganda--for example, Napoleon didn’t ride a rearing stallion to cross the river on his campaign; he rode a donkey. Napoleon relied on the artist Jacques-Louis David to polish his public image. The truth behind the propaganda is revealed by acclaimed author Laban Carrick Hill in a compelling story of fifteen-year-old Jean, whose idealistic view of the leader comes under fire when he begins working in David’s studio. As he battles with Louis, David’s cowardly son, it becomes clear that their fates mirror the course of the French Empire. Blending romance, drama, and history, Napoleon’s Sitter is a dynamic addition to the popular Art Encounters series.

Selected Works

1. Nonfiction
DJ Kool Herc
The first picturebook biography of the founder of rap and hip hop, DJ Kool Herc!
America Dreaming: How Youth Changed America in the 60s
"Phenomenal."–Howard Zinn "Excellent."–New York Times Book Review
Harlem Stomp! A Cultural History of the Harlem Renaissance
“Harlem Stomp! is a wonderous new book: it celebrates a time, a place, an energy, and a people who refused to be held back and so they created a culture the entire world is still reeling from.”
--George C. Wolfe, writer, director, and producer of the Public Theater, NYC
3. Poetry
Dave the Potter
A picturebook poem describing the life of the slave potter Dave. Illustrated by Bryan Collier.
Contemporary Poetry of New England
“Contemporary Poetry of New England offers a vivid portrait of a region, its colors and smells, its physical and emotional textures, and the people…. It presents a range of poets, few of whom would call themselves a “region poet,” although each has taken to heart in a private way Frost’s haunting dictum: ‘Locality gives art.’”
--from the Introduction
2. Fiction
A Brush with Napoleon
A seventeen-year-old is plucked out of the Grande Armee to sit in place of Napoleon for a portrait of the Emperor by the artist David.
Casa Azul
"I felt like a kid reading every word on the page! I liked the strains of "magic realism" coming through in Frida's house! Children will relate to this very much! The story is charming and reads like a thriller." –Margarita Aguilar, Assisant Curator, El Museo del Barrio
4. Middle Grade Series
Xtreme Mysteries
These kids love extreme sports--snowboarding, skateboarding, rock climbing, wake boarding--and are ready to fight when the right to do their sport is threatened.