Jelly, Garbage + Toys

Book excerpt: Vic Muniz's images and his playful approach to making art captivate children and adults alike. Muniz works with everyday materials--such as peanut butter and jelly, chocolate syrup, and even garbage--to make images that often reference masterpieces or popular icons. Jelly, Garbage + Toys, drawn from interviews with children, is an interactive first-person narrative that presents Muniz's personal story and his art, focusing on some of his many processes and mediums. The book emphasizes the importance of play in the creation of art while challenging children to think about how images are made and what they mean. The design--with graphic novel-inspired speech bubbles, liftable flaps, and a Turkish-map fold (all four sides open)--helps communicate Muniz's exuberant message.