Picasso (Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists) (Paperback)

by Mike Venezia (Author) "Pablo Picasso was one of the greatest artists of the twentieth century..." (more)
Key Phrases: New York

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal
ea. vol: illus. by author. 32p. photogs. reprods. (Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists Series). CIP. Childrens. 1988. PLB $9.95. Grade 1-3 Despite the current trend to introduce music, literature, and art to very young children, these books serve to illustrate the limitations of such efforts. Here the lives and works of two brilliant and revolutionary painters have been reduced to a series of basic facts and cliches. Children reading these books will get less biographic information than could be found in an encyclopedia and no insight into the unique vision and talent that made these artists important. Venezia's analysis of the artists' style is simplistiche attributes Picasso's blue period to depression over the death of a friend and his rose period to a new love. He makes no attempt to explain the principals of Cubism, focusing on the peculiarities of the images rather than the ideas behind them. His treatment of Rembrandt's work is equally shallow, describing the objects pictured rather than the artist's interpretation. Although he mentions the variety of brush strokes in one Rembrandt painting, he spends more time pointing out the spilled glasses of wine in the painting and never mentions Rembrandt's signature use of light and shadow or the richness and warmth of his color. In addition to reproductions of the paintings, captioned cartoons illustrate the text. The combination of jokes and simplicity creates an overall sense of condescension. Those wishing to introduce children to the works of these artists should wait until they are old enough for Ernest Raboff's fine biographic interpretation (Lippincott). Eleanor K. MacDonald, Beverly Hills Public Lib .
Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Library Binding edition.

Review
"The excellent-quality reproductions do a great deal to enhance and extend the text." --This text refers to the Library Binding edition.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Children's Press(CT); New edition edition (September 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0516422715
• ISBN-13: 978-0516422718
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 7.5 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #154,347 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A great way to introduce your child to modern art!, October 26, 1998

By A Customer

Mike Venezia shows paintings from Picasso's various "periods" and explains them in terms a child can understand.("...Picasso felt alone and sad.") He compares the realistic portraits of Picasso's youth to the cubist portraits of his later career, asking the child questions and providing terminology to help him appreciate the difference. ("The man...looks like he's been broken up into little cubes....Can you see the man's face...hands...cat?)

Venezia's humorous cartoon comments highlight the controversies that surrounded Picasso's work and give the adult reader a chuckle, too.

After reading the book with him, my six-year-old grandson had fun trying to imitate, with his own body, the movement that Picasso was trying to portray with his "displaced" body parts.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Picasso Rocks, July 20, 2006

By	Kimberly Swanger "ESL teacher" (Council Bluffs, Iowa) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This author's approach makes artists interesting for ages 8-80. A combination of comic strip style illustrations and copies of the artists work is entertaining and informative. This book makes cubism comprehensible. The series of books is an obvious "must" for art teachers (3rd-12th gr) but kids will enjoy it as part of a classroom library or in a personal collection as well. If you have a kid who likes to draw but hates to read, introduce him/her to this author's series.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A huge hit with grades K-3, July 2, 2001

By	"crframes" (Des Moines, Ia United States) - See all my reviews

I use this whole series in my elementary art class - and my students absolutely love it. Venezia highlights what is interesting to K-3 students while avoiding aspects of artists' lives that may not be appropriate for a young audience. Students love the cartoons Venezia includes along with the color images of the artist's work.