Art (Hardcover)

by Patrick McDonnell (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 3-In a play on words that carries throughout the story, Art, a young boy, joyfully tries his hand at all kinds of art. He DRAWS SCRIBBLES THAT SQUIGGLE, SPLOTCHES WITH BLOTCHES, ZIGS and ZAGS, doodles and dogs, and so much more. His creations, rendered in watercolor and crayon, extend from the drizzles on the title page to swirls and curls and Jackson Pollock-like spreads until the doodles become a picture in which Art and his dog blast off for the moon: THERE'S NO STOPPING ART...WHEN ART IS INSPIRED. He falls asleep amid his work and awakens to find it on the refrigerator, PUT THERE BY MOTHER 'CAUSE MOTHER LOVES ART. The rhyming text is brief and takes a backseat to the little boy's exuberant pictures. This story, along with Peter H. Reynolds's The Dot (Candlewick, 2003), can free up hesitant artists to let their talent shine.-Marianne Saccardi, formerly at Norwalk Community College, CT
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
PreS-K. McDonnell, creator of the Mutts comic strip, offers this slim story that owes its concept to Crockett Johnson's classic Harold and the Purple Crayon (1955). McDonnell begins with wordplay: "This is Art," read the words above an image of a young boy. "And this is art," read the words on the following page, located above a rainbow of watercolor swirls. On the following spreads, McDonnell's rhyming text follows Art, the boy, as he wields his crayons, pencils, and brushes with gleeful abandon, creating joyful swirls, zigzags, and doodles that eventually form a neighborhood scene, which he enters in his dreams when he falls asleep. The story is slender, and the rhymes occasionally seem cloying: "Art stares at the paper and uses his noodle to conjure up a perfect doodle." Peter Reynolds' The Dot (2003) offers more substantive stories about kids creating art. Still, the scenes of Art at work exude a contagious, freewheeling energy that may inspire children to grab their own crayons and let their imaginations loose on paper. Gillian Engberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 48 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown Young Readers; Library Binding edition (April 12, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 031611491X
• ISBN-13: 978-0316114912
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 8.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #23,902 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #11 in	Books > Children's Books > Arts & Music > Art > Fiction
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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A playful book filled with splashes of color ..., April 7, 2006

By	Linda Kranz (Arizona) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

In this book the reader sees how being creative can be so much fun! As a mother I can remember all those "masterpieces" my daughter and son would skillfully craft for me. I have many of those pieces of art tucked away for a day in the future when I can place those treasures back in my child's hands. I know they will beam a smile as the memories return them to a place and a time not so long ago when life was simple - the place of course, is childhood. If you enjoyed The Gift of Nothing I think this book would also be a terrific choice for your library. I especially like the ending! Mother's do love art! Check it out!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Worlds at the tip of your paintbrush, January 2, 2007

By	JN (NYC) - See all my reviews

I agree w/ the elementary teacher who commented about 'grownup art not being sufficient if Mcdonnell's celebrating children's art'. It was my first reaction when I saw the images (I'm also a teacher).

HOWEVER, since this book makes no claims to be original children's art, I can love this book unconditionally. I read through it and I have to say that the book is beautiful. It echoes children's art, the freedom and joy of movement even though it's drawn by a seasoned artist. In this way does Mcdonnell celebrate children's art even if he cannot recreate it. The world created in the book is as whimsical as any story I've watched pre-K kids create. The narration is beautiful.

I love this book and have added it to my personal collection.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Love art + Am a Mom = LOVE this book!, September 27, 2006

By	W. Burks "No-time-to-read book lover!!" (LA, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I love this book! I am a mom of three under 5 years old, and this book rings true to me. Everyday, I receive "gifts" of art from my children that look much like the books' character Art's doodles, and as their mom (and just like Art's mom), I love their art! My kids love the book because Art's art looks like their art so they can relate as well. It's a book for the whole family. And regarding another reviewer's comment on how the book could be improved with different colors and art, I believe that if asked, all readers could think of ways how any book could be improved more to their liking, and that's why people write their own books, to have it their own way. For example, I may have liked the book even more if the author used more sparkly looking art which my daughter really enjoys or even named the character after my daughter which would make the book especially endearing to us, but you can't always have a book reflect your own personal taste. So, having said that, I still love the book, and think it does appeal to a wide audience...kids and parents! :-)