Picasso and the Girl with a Ponytail (Anholt's Artists) [Paperback]

Laurence Anholt (Author)

Book Description

Grade Level: From Pre and up | Series: Anholt's Artists

Sylvette is a shy little girl, but her neighbor happens to be the artist Pablo Picasso. Attracted by Sylvette's classical facial profile and her lovely ponytail hair style, Picasso convinces her to overcome her shyness and pose for a series of artworks. These drawings, paintings, and sculptures soon become world famous, and encouraged to abandon her shyness, Sylvette herself begins a career as a fine artist. This is a title in Barron's Anholt's Artists Books for Children series, in which author and illustrator Laurence Anholt recalls memorable and sometimes amusing moments when the lives of the artists were touched by children. Anholt's fine illustrations appear on every page and include reproductions of works by the artists.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

(back cover)
Pablo Picasso

Shy Sylvette is astonished when Pablo Picasso, the world-famous artist, chooses her to be his model. As the pictures become larger and more extraordinary, "The Girl with a Ponytail" becomes famous too.

This amazing true story of developing self-confidence was told to Laurence Anholt by Sylvette herself.

Complete with reproductions of Picasso's work, this is another inspirational story from Laurence Anholt's bestselling series, celebrating some of the world's greatest artists and the real children who knew them.

About the Author

Laurence Anholt is the author and illustrator of several children's books about famous artists, all available in North America from Barron's. They include Degas and the Little Dancer, Leonardo and the Flying Boy, The Magical Garden of Claude Monet, and van Gogh and the Sunflowers.

Product Details

• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Barron's Educational Series (October 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764138537
• ISBN-13: 978-0764138539
• Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 8.2 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #65,355 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #10 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Arts & Music > Art > Fiction
  • #21 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > People & Places > Biographies > Art
  • #30 in Books > Children's Books > Biographies > Art

More About the Author

Laurence Anholt is the author and illustrator of several childrenÂ’ books about famous artists, all available in North America from BarronÂ’s. They include Degas and the Little Dancer, Leonardo and the Flying Boy, The Magical Garden of Claude Monet, and van Gogh and the Sunflowers.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wild and wonderful!!, October 9, 2008

By 

Judy K. Polhemus "Book Collector" (Louisiana) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Picasso and the Girl with a Ponytail (Anholt's Artists) (Paperback)

Let me say in the first sentence: "Picasso and the Girl with a Ponytail" is a wonderful introduction to Picasso and his art. If more informational books for children were as creative and colorful as this one, children would stand in line at libraries and bookstores clutching their cards or money to take this kind of book home. It's that good!

Laurence Anholt, both author and illustrator, captures one summer in the life of Picasso in Vallauris in southern France in 1954. Picasso met young Sylvette, a shy teenager who had very secret aspirations to be an artist herself. He drew a delicate pencil sketch of her head and shoulders, featuring particularly her lovely ponytail. This was the first of about 40 works of art with Sylvette as subject.

Anholt's artwork is both light, colorful, and cheerful and casts Picasso in a most delightful manner. Although his house was cluttered with items he would later use as "found art," it shows so many different works of art Picasso had already created.

Finally, Sylvette tells Picasso her dreams. So he advises her. One night at the end of summer he completes a sculpture of Sylvette made of huge pottery pieces and adds a huge key in one hand as the key to all her secrets and a key to open a new door. He gives her a choice of any painting. She chooses the first one he did of her, later sells it, and buys an apartment on the top floor in a building overlooking all of Paris. That painting was her key.

I know I have told the ending, but in a biographical sketch, there are no secrets. Besides, the fun of this book is the joy in every illustration. Unlike some books which denigrate Picasso, this book celebrates him.

Although designed for children 9-12, this book will appeal to all ages as a delightful, one-stop foray into Picasso's famous and flamboyant life.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars So cute!, July 29, 2011

By 

Keely "Keely" (Walla Walla, WA USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Picasso and the Girl with a Ponytail (Anholt's Artists) (Paperback)

Such a cute story and educational. I read it to middle school students in my summer art class. They got a kick out of it. I will keep it forever to read to my own children one day!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best!, August 18, 2009

By 

Jeanne M. Engelkemeir (Vernon Hills, IL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Picasso and the Girl with a Ponytail (Anholt's Artists) (Paperback)

We just came back from the Musee Picasso in Paris, and my kids had been looking for the boomarang that had been shown in his studio in this book, at the museum, because they were so curious as to what a boomarang was! We also looked for the artwork, too! This is one of my absolute favorites of all the OUTSTANDING Anholt artist books for children! The real photo of "the girl with the ponytail" and Picasso in the back of the book is awesome!