Who Was Andy Warhol?

By: Kirsten Anderson

Narrated by: Kaleo Griffith

Best known for his screen prints of soup cans and movie stars, this shy young boy from Pittsburgh shot to fame with his radical ideas of what “art” could be. Working in the aptly named “Factory,” Warhol’s paintings, movies, and eccentric lifestyle blurred the lines between pop culture and art, ushering in the Pop Art movement and, with it, a national obsession. Who Was Andy Warhol? tells the story of an enigmatic man who grew into a cultural icon.

Great intro to Andy for kids

My family listened to this book before visiting an art exhibit featuring Warhol's works. The book's details were fascinating and entertaining for my first and fourth graders. The art concepts are accessible and the kids recalled them at the museum which I loved to see. The book explains many lifestyle choices (e.g. drug use) of Warhol and his community without glamorizing them and deals with his 1968 shooting. The book also bridges to others in the art and music world like the Velvet Underground.