Emily's Art [Paperback]

Peter Catalanotto (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

"What a gorgeous painting," exclaimed the judge of Ms. Fair's first-grade art contest. "What a beautiful rabbit!"

For Emily, the words are a shock.

Her painting is of her dog, Thor. Not a rabbit.

But instead of thinking: What's wrong with this judge? Emily takes the words, and the judgment, to heart.

Just as she takes her art.

Not everyone, not Ms. Fair, or even Emily's best friend, Kelly, can see that.

At first.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Catalanotto (The Painter; Dylan's Day Out) subtly conveys the value of creating art for art's sake in this tender picture book. When Emily's first grade teacher announces an art contest for which a judge will choose the best entry, Emily is skeptical: "Does the judge know which is better?" she asks. Nevertheless, each day Emily paints a new piece of art and, near the end of the week, she chooses to display "her new favorite," a watercolor of her dog, Thor, with his rather large ears at attention. When the judge first chooses Emily's piece because she mistakes Thor for a rabbit then rejects Emily's painting when she learns he's a dog (because of the judge's fear of dogs), Emily buries her painting (" `I'll never paint again,' she whispers"). But a reassuring exchange with her best friend rekindles Emily's passion to paint. Catalanotto creates visually arresting scenes; in several spreads, he places Emily's and other students' art in the forefront, while his own fluid, more defined watercolor-and-acrylic compositions carry the narrative forward in smaller panels elsewhere on the page. He carefully crafts each scene to depict a new step in Emily's emotional journey (she appears to be nearly transparent when she's feeling blue, for example), which gives the text a satisfying resonance. Aspiring Picassos everywhere will find much to contemplate and cheer about here. Ages 5-8.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From School Library Journal

K-Gr 3-As with all inspired artists, Emily's paintings reflect her unique perceptions. The child paints her beloved teacher with golden wings and her dog with exceptionally large ears, "Because Thor hears everything." The story, however, really begins before the title page with a provocative classroom discussion of the upcoming art contest-and the process of singling out an entry as the best. When the judge dismisses Emily's picture of Thor (because she was once bitten by a dog) in favor of a butterfly painted by Emily's best friend (under her tutelage), the child's pain is palpable. Throughout the book, Catalanotto voices the concerns and reactions of children quite convincingly. Like his protagonist, he conveys a heightened reality in his watercolor, gouache, and acrylic spreads. His backgrounds resemble the richness of Rothko canvases (albeit with more light); this choice simultaneously focuses more attention on the children in the foreground and subtly supports the central theme regarding the qualities of "fine" art. Insets allow for sequential messages and multiple perspectives. Many of the illustrations superimpose images on silhouettes or transparent figures on visible backgrounds, pulling readers into the character's interior world. Whether viewed from afar or up close, this creative and heartfelt book is a masterpiece.

Wendy Lukehart, Harrisburg School District, PA

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers (December 26, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416926887
• ISBN-13: 978-1416926887
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 9.2 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #530,620 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Peter Catalanotto's Art, August 28, 2001

By 

Esme R. Codell "planetesme.com" (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Emily's Art (Richard Jackson Books (Atheneum Hardcover)) (Hardcover)

Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous, the talent illustrator's best work to date, with an outstanding story. Faced with an art competition, Emily learns how seeing the world through your own eyes is better than any prize. My pick for the Caldecott award!!! Get it while it's still in first printing!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gorgeous Watercolor Picturebook about Feelings, January 16, 2003

By 

Cynthia Sue Larson "www.realityshifters.com" (San Francisco bay area, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Emily's Art (Richard Jackson Books (Atheneum Hardcover)) (Hardcover)

EMILY'S ART is the story about Emily, a first-grade girl who loves to paint. There is a colorful aura of joy around Emily as she paints with her heart, and she radiates a soft, pink glow when she paints a watercolor picture of her friend, Kelly. When Emily's class participates in a school-wide art contest, Emily chooses to enter a picture of her dog, Thor, with great big ears, "Because Thor hears everything." When all the first-grade pictures are judged in the art contest, Emily is heart-broken to see her beloved picture of Thor passed over because the judge hates dogs. Fortunately, Emily's friend, Kelly, and her teacher, Ms. Fair, show Emily how much they care about her, and the story ends with a class party to celebrate all the beautiful pictures the children made.

What makes this picture book so very special is the way that every illustration of Emily shows how she feels in body posture, facial expression, and her human energy field. When Emily is happy, soft colors of light shine around her head and shoulders. When Emily is sad, her head droops forward and she becomes transparent as her aura disappears. Every picture of her aura is delightfully different -- my favorite is the one where she is showing her friend, Kelly, how to draw a dinosaur and lots of bright colors surround her head, back, and arm!

This is a gorgeous watercolor picture book that shows how feelings look in the human energy field. I give it my highest recommendation!

-- Cynthia Sue Larson

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars captures the down side of "healthy" competition, June 10, 2005

By 

Kristen A. Myers (DeKalb IL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Emily's Art (Richard Jackson Books (Atheneum Hardcover)) (Hardcover)

My 6 year old daughter had just experienced the kind of unjust judgement captured in this book a day before we serendipitously picked it up at the library. Emily becomes transparent after her work is rejected. My daughter totally connected with that feeling. And she also recognized the power of a friends' support that is portrayed in this book as well. Lovely. Art is great too.