A Blue Butterfly: A Story About Claude Monet [Hardcover]

Bijou Le Tord (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up

In a garden of spectacular beauty in Giverny, France, Claude Monet painted flowers. Dazzled by the light, he painted with rich colors of vermilion, emerald, and violet. His poppies, tulips, irises, and waterlilies have awed the world. In her radiant watercolors, Bijou Le Tord uses Monet's own palette of only eight colors. Her magnificent paintings and poetic words celebrate the extraordinary vision of the beloved impressionist painter, Claude Monet.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 4?A short narrative highlighting Monet's painting is brought to life by Le Tord's impressionistlike illustrations of the artist and some of his most notable subjects. She comments that she was careful to use Monet's limited palette in her own pictures?not an easy accomplishment, since he claimed to use only eight colors. Le Tord portrays Monet as he was in his later, prosperous years?with a white beard and straw hat, sitting in his garden or in farmers' fields in front of his easel. In her brief, lyrical text, she describes the beauty of his paintings and his single-minded dedication to his art (while not mentioning his famous temper). His dazzling use of light is likened to a blue butterfly that he holds on his brush for just an instant. Le Tord's luminescent watercolors "paraphrase" some of Monet's well-known works, such as Rouen Cathedral and the waterlilies at Giverny, and place them, within this story-biography, in an accessible context for young children. A Blue Butterfly stands alone as a lovely first look at Monet and would also work well as a companion to Christina Bjork's Linnea in Monet's Garden (R&S, 1987), which gives many more details about the painter and his family.?Linda Wicher, Highland Park Public Library, IL
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Ages 5^-8. Not so much a story about Monet (as the subtitle states) as a tribute to him, this picture book uses the colors of his palette and reflections on his work as the basis for a picture book. The often poetic text extends vertically down each page like free verse: "Monet / painted / as / a / bird / sings, / for / himself." The watercolor paintings, which sometimes include the figure of the artist, suggest Monet's paintings without slavishly copying them. Although the most enthusiastic audience for this book (like M. B. Goffstein's picture books about artists) may be adult, it would be an interesting choice to share with a child before visiting a Monet exhibit or to read to a school class as part of a "picture person" presentation. Carolyn Phelan

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Doubleday Books for Young Readers (August 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385311028
• ISBN-13: 978-0385311021
• Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 9.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,086,122 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Celebration of Art, August 19, 2000

By 

"craftsycraft" (Wyoming, MI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Blue Butterfly: A Story About Claude Monet (Hardcover)

When fall comes, so do the books. It is approximated that almost 2,000 children's books will be printed this fall. Of this mass number, perhaps a handful--a very small handful-- are actually worth reading to a young child night after night. Bijou Le Tord's A Blue Butterfly: A Story about Claude Monet, is part of this handful.

The book came out in 1995, yet it still holds my attention and respect. What sets this book apart from other biographies about the artist and other children's books is its celebratory nature. Its luminescent art work invites parents and children to revisit the art and life of Claude Monet. It captures the essence of art in its warm colors, creating a soft aura of beauty that encloses the reader even after the book is finished.

Anybody interested in sharing art with a young child or sharing the life of an artist should purchase this book. Not only do readers learn about an early twentieth century artist, but they also get to share in the joy of a contemporary artist, Bijou Le Tord.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars First Grade Monet, April 26, 2000

By 

Alexis Younglove (Washington) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Blue Butterfly: A Story About Claude Monet (Hardcover)

The book is written in the style of a poem. The poem tells a lot about Monet, where he painted and what he painted. The author also painted the illustrations, which are beautiful. She includes Monet in the illustrations. I read this book to a class of first graders and they loved it. We then attempted to make our own Monet paintings by using our finger tips. (They used their finger tips to cover an entire page with color) The children were inspired by the book and the illustrations. I felt that the book provided a lot of basic information about Monet and is great learning tool for young children.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Monet appreciation for children!, August 14, 2000

By 

"iloveprovence" - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Blue Butterfly: A Story About Claude Monet (Hardcover)

I have always been bedazzled by Monet's painting and his home, Giverny. This book is another wonderful way to share Monet's gifts with young children. As a first-grade teacher, I appreciate the ideas suggested by the teacher below who shared her method for offering Monet to young children. An exceptional treasure to enjoy over and over again!