A Child's Book of Art: Great Pictures - First Words [Library Binding]

Lucy Micklethwait (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 7 and up | Grade Level: 2 and up

An introduction to art appreciation exposes young readers to more than one hundred works of art from a wide range of periods, cultures, and artists, and with subjects such as seasons, weather, and animals.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

"It is never too early to introduce children to art," Micklethwait declares in her introductory note to parents and teachers. The carefully selected roundup of stunning art collected in this large-format volume--ranging from a detail from an Egyptian tomb painting that dates to 2550 B.C. to David Hockney's Le Plongeur , created in 1978 with paint and molded paper pulp--proves her point easily. Micklethwait wisely includes an abundance of paintings featuring children, action scenes and vibrant colors--all elements guaranteed to snare a youngster's attention. The thematic arrangement of the works of art places them in contexts familiar to kids (family, pets, colors, opposites, work and play), and words or basic phrases accompanying each painting (sisters, in the kitchen, playing in the sand, on the grass) will enable beginning readers to practice their new skills. Also noteworthy are the publisher's trademark exceptionally clean book design and the superb quality of the reproductions. Ages 2-up.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 3-A picture gallery with oversized pages filled with fine-art reproductions with simplistic labels, e.g., "bedroom," "two boys," "rainy," etc. Micklethwait writes in her "Note to Parents and Teachers" that they are to treat these paintings as they would "those in any other picture book." By this she means to experience them for their representational or emotional content and not to be inhibited by the "fine art" halo that too often surrounds such works. And the author merits a special "Bravo!" for her refusal to include sculpture because it "would lose too much of its magic on the printed page." There are more than 100 pictures here, sometimes three or four to a page, sometimes with a full page to themselves. They come from ancient Egypt and modern Europe, from Africa and Central America. It's an extensive collection with the majority from the Western world of the past 600 years. Surprisingly, there are only three female artists represented. The subjects also vary, e.g., "Six Ways to Travel," "More Colors," and "A Time to Sleep." The reproductions are all printed with great clarity and with considerable white space around them to facilitate individual attention. Full information about the original art objects is appended.
Kenneth Marantz, Art Education Department, Ohio State University, Columbus
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 7 and up
  
• Library Binding: 64 pages
• Publisher: DK CHILDREN (November 8, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1564582035
• ISBN-13: 978-1564582034
• Product Dimensions: 14.1 x 10.8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #160,193 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a Wonderful Idea!, October 31, 2001

By 

Rebecca Johnson "The Rebecca Review" (Washington State) - See all my reviews
(COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Child's Book of Art: Great Pictures - First Words (Library Binding)

When I first looked through this book, I thought maybe they could have added some explanations to the artwork. Then, I realized that if they had, they would not be allowing the child to make up creative ideas about the art themselves.

Each piece is simply accompanied by a word or sentence. "Young and Old" is next to Dignity and Impudence by Edwin Landseer. A picture of a large and small dog.

Children Playing on the Beach by Mary Cassatt is explained by: "playing in the sand."

The simplicity of this book then becomes the beauty. Children will want to know more about the pictures and you can answer their questions and have a conversation about art.

There are over 100 paintings reproduced in gorgeous colors. You can teach colors and words as well as art appreciation. It might also be amusing to try to teach them the names of the paintings.

The art is divided up into sections. There is a note to parents and teachers. Then you can view art that focuses on:

The Family
At Home
In the Garden
Pets
Animals on the Farm
Wild Animals
Birds
Fruit
Things we Do
Action Words
Counting
Colors
Shapes
Opposites
The Seasons
The Weather
By the Sea
Faces
The Five Senses
Six Way to Travel
Let's Go by Boat
A Time to Work, Play, Eat, Sleep
A Time for Peace

The picture of fall is especially beautiful. While viewing this book, you might also want to play some classical music in the background.

This book is just delightful. You might also enjoy "A Child's Book of Lullabies" featuring art by Mary Cassatt.

~The Rebecca Review

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Art, Beauty, November 8, 2005

By 

Sonny L (New Mexico) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Child's Book of Art: Great Pictures - First Words (Library Binding)

This is a great book for all ages. Set up like a beginning word book for toddlers, beautiful works of art are combined with basic concepts and ideas. The art included spans the centuries, from ancient Egypt to the 1970s. Multiple cultures are also included: India, Greece, Japan, Ethiopia, and many others. Many great artists are also included: Michelangelo, Vermeer, Monet, Cassatt, Escher, Van Gogh, and Diego Rivera to name a few. While this beautiful book is aimed at preschool to early grade school, all ages (from 1 to 101) will love it. The only caveat that some parents may object to is the inclusion of a minor amount of nudity. "The Creation of Adam" 1511 by Michelangelo, "The Listening Girl" 1780s by Jean-Baptiste Greuze, and "Flaming June" (a sheer dress)1895 by Frederic Leighton, and running men on an ancient Greek vase. All are beautiful classical pieces of art, and most people would not object to them. This statement is included as a courtesy to those who would.

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Picture is worth a thousand words, February 23, 2005

By 

Enrique Torres "Rico" (San Diegotitlan, Califas) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: A Child's Book of Art: Great Pictures - First Words (Library Binding)

An outstanding oversized book for children of all ages but intended for the preschool to grade 3 set. A very interesting format is used where the art picture is the door to opening a dialogue with your young one . A broader concept like wild animals will be on a page with various paintings of the chosen represenatives of the animal kingdom. The magic of art as seen through a childs eyes can also open an adults eyes to new perspectives. The subjects chosen are basic but the art work is by some of the worlds masters including Michaelangelo, Toulouse-Lautrec, Monet,
Van Dyck, Rousseau, Durer, Renoir,Van Gogh, Picasso, Rivera and Escher amongst others. There are annonymous paintings and others attributed to codices and manuscripts as well as ethnic pieces from different distant cultures for the child to ponder. The book is such that it can be shown and with some help a young one can further explore the details of a piece of art by holding the book together. The pictures are large enough but not to the point where the book is cumbersome. I only had one little problem with this childs primer to art and first words. Under the title "Things To Do" the author has chosen, reading, writing, drawing and painting , all noble ventures but missing the essence of youth, playing. I suppose the author is trying to assist the reader in developing the more refined child , however, playing is the essence of a childs world. To her credit she does dedicate a section to play, although the chosen paintings don't really reflect enough movement that a bundle of kinetic energy can relate to. Motionless portraits of women playing cards in the 1600's or an angel playing guitar are hardly how children relate to playing but I suppose if you're trying to instill certain cerebric qualities in your child it works. Al in all it is a fine book to help you in opening your childs eyes to art. The author uses only a word or phrase by a painting but concludes her book with a message under the title A Time For Peace with the painting "Peaceable Kingdom" by Edward Hicks, The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. Isaiah 11:6