From School Library Journal
Grade 2-4?The marriage of form and content in an art series is often difficult to manage. These titles successfully balance the amount of information and the activities presented to reinforce the experience. Readers learn about depicting animals, landscapes, portraits, or stories by exploring six works of fine art and are then given suggestions for their own artistic expressions. This is accomplished through the use of vivid full-color photographs, illustrations, as well as samples of children's art. Although the discussion of each piece of art is brief, it includes relevant details about the work's obvious features in a lively and succinct manner. Similarly, the directives leading toward self-expression are brief, yet complete, utilizing several mediums and easily found materials. Making use of children's art as illustrative examples provides a tangible expression of the ideas for youngsters to see. By combining art appreciation with instruction, these books present a unique approach to the subject.?Amelia Kalin, Valley Cottage Library, NY
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Review
The strength of this series is in how it makes the art of well-known artists accessible to young readers and places their work alongside great works. It leaves readers feeling that they too can create art and it shows a respect for the creative process that underlies all art activity. Children will enjoy browsing through the series and reading at varying degrees of interest for the information shared. They will undoubtedly reach for paint and paper after they have read any one of the books in this series --
Resource Links, Dec. , 1996These book would be a valuable addition to any library, and parents and teachers would enjoy trying many of the activities along with their children. --
Canadian Children's Literature, Spring 1998
