Claude Monet: Sunshine and Waterlilies (Smart About Art) [Paperback]

True Kelley (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up | Series: Smart About Art

"Steven" traces Monet's life from his childhood, through his rejection of traditional painting and the development of Impressionism, to his final, settled years in Giverny, sprinkling the report with his own drawings and comments.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-3-The conceit behind these biographies is that they were written by elementary-grade students as reports on the painters. Each book opens with a letter from their teacher, "Ms. Brandt," outlining some questions the student might want to think about when preparing the assignment: why did you pick this artist; if you could ask him or her three questions what would they be; and did you learn anything that surprised you? Unfortunately, the end results are cluttered pages and possibly confusing content. While each book includes facts about the subject's life (birth date and place, childhood, work, etc.), it also incorporates little bits of information about the child who is writing the report. For example, Kristin, the "author" of Degas, includes her own self-portrait next to the artist's. The material presented on each subject is strictly biographical; there is no discussion of the artists' technique or place in art history. Colorful pages and lettering highlight the many reproductions, photographs, childlike drawings, and snippets of text. The "Getting to Know the World's Great Artists" series (Children's) presents solid factual information along with reproductions. However, for an engaging introduction to an artist by a fictional character, steer readers to Christina Bj?rk's Linnea in Monet's Garden (R & S, 1987) or Neil Waldman's appealing The Starry Night (Boyds Mills, 2001).
Susan Lissim, Dwight School, New York City
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

*Starred Review* Reviewed with Marryann Cocca-Leffler's Edgar Degas.

Gr. 2-4, younger for reading aloud. Like the books in Mike Venezia's Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists series, these winning biographies in the Smart about Art series feature lively cartoon drawings as they introduce artists. Written in the voice of a young student, Kristin Cole, and presented in the format of a school report, the books recount events in each artist's life and offer insight into his work, using charming childlike drawings and reproductions of the artist's paintings in scrapbook-style layouts to illustrate both the stories and the artistic explanations. The result is a successful blend of fact and humor that makes sophisticated concepts completely accessible and even entertaining. Impressionism, for example, is explained through juxtaposed photos of light shifting over landscapes and close-ups of brush strokes. Artists' quotes and plenty of sassy asides add to the easy, substantive appeal. of these books, which are sure to spark children's curiosity for individual interest or for their own reports. Gillian Engberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap (October 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 044842522X
• ISBN-13: 978-0448425221
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.1 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 0.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #192,115 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #19 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Arts & Music > Art > History
  • #22 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Arts & Music > Art > Painting
  • #40 in Books > Children's Books > Arts, Crafts & Music > Art > Painting

More About the Author

True Kelley has illustrated many children's books, including Hazel Nutt, Mad Scientist, winner of the Golden Duck Award for the best children's science-fiction illustrated book of the year, written by David Elliott. School Lunch is her first solo venture for Holiday House. She lives in New Hampshire.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars And parents learn, too!, January 28, 2007

By 

Kim A. Haman "Writer Mom" (Orange County, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Claude Monet: Sunshine and Waterlilies (Smart About Art) (Paperback)

"Claude Monet: Sunshine and Waterlilies" was a terrific book for my 7-year-old daughter. Since it is "written" from the perspective of a fifth grade student doing a report on the famous artist, the language was clear, concise, and interesting to a child my daughter's age. I learned from it, too! My daughter couldn't wait to break out her paints and try her hand at an "impressionist" painting of her own! For anyone who wants their child to learn about art, this book --and the whole series of "Smart About Art" books--is a great place to start. Your child--and you, too!--will definately enjoy this book.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Poppies or Waterlilies?, April 25, 2005

By 

Betty Burks "Betty Burks" (Knoxville, TN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Claude Monet: Sunshine and Waterlilies (GB) (Smart About Art) (Library Binding)

This is one in a series of books about artists for young children about the lives and paintings of these famous oldsters. Written as a report by a fictitious student gives a different aspect and will appeal to school children perhaps; and yet, it contains a biography of Claude Monet (the good and the bad) which appeals to adults, but especially his marvelous paintings are worth the money.

He was very handsome when he went to Paris at the age of 18, but the other painters kidded him with the nickname "Dandy" because he wore ruffled cuffs even though he was just the son of a poor grocer. As a young child in the early school years, he would draw stetches of his teachers and sell them to his classmates. The sketch he drew when he was sixteen looks like something you might see in 'The New Yorker' and is now a part of the expressionist grouping at the Art Institute of Chicago. Some years ago, my son Geoff took me there but that part was closed off for renovation. I told him it didn't matter as there was so much else to look at; as it turns out, the expressionalists are my favorites. Oh well, it was grand just being there.

'The Poppy Field' is one of his most famous, but the people in Knoxville would much prefer 'Water Lilies' because of the purple. By his 83rd birthday, he had finished twenty-two giant paintings of waterlilies. He had his own water gardens as an older man with a bridge (a photo of him standing by with his long white beard); there in his garden at Giverny the flowers were so colorful and plentiful, it could be Longwood Gardens in New Jersey. He and Renoir painted the same scene of a group of party-goers along a frog pond and the canoes pulled up for their use. Renoir's is a close-up though he has one of his trees with long hanging branches, while Monet's is more exact and clear.

He was happily married twice but the deaths took their toll; Camille had been his model for ten years before their marriage and he painted many strange pictures after her death with her face in them. When Alice died, he was so distraught he was unable to paint for some years as his eyesight diminished. In 1923, he endured eye operations and had special glasses to use for resuming his career.

Steven ends his report with "On December 5, 1926, he died (shortly after his 87th birthday). He had been happy, sad, poor and rich. In his life, Monet painted more than 2,000 paintings, which now sell for millions of dollars. They are worth it."

Some of the phrasing is for kids to understand, but the book is so full of information not included in adult biographies it is well worth the time and money to purchase this little treasure.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Introduction to Van Gogh, June 25, 2010

By 

Mary A Nation (Colusa, CA United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Claude Monet: Sunshine and Waterlilies (Smart About Art) (Paperback)

I am using this book and others in the Smart About Art series to introduce a small group of Native American children to the world of art. These books are great: meets many age levels' needs; excellent selection of works; text that appeals to children. And the adults are enjoying them also!