Review by Booklist Review
In his previous books, author-illustrator Piven created portraits of presidents and famous athletes with found objects. In this book, the portraits are of a fictional family, including their dog, Schmutz. Objects here stand in for physical characteristics tied to the similes used to describe each family member. Dad is as jumpy as a spring, as playful as a spinning top, etc. Poor Schmutz is as stinky as one onion (pictured as his tail), as nasty as canned fish (his front paws), as icky as pepperoni (his snout), and so forth. The final two pages show objects children might use to make their own family portraits. Childlike line drawings are paired with the more creative portraits, in which representational objects are glued on gouache-and-watercolor backgrounds to make the figures. Children will get caught up in this playful, fun, creative, and easy-to-do art concept and will want to follow through with their own creations. --Randall Enos Copyright 2007 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
When it comes to really nailing the essence of a loved one, argues the girl who narrates Piven's (What Presidents Are Made Of) latest collage confection, the truly committed artist must eschew paper and pencil and turn instead to the found object. Thus, the full stinkiness of Schmutz, the girl's dog, comes alive in an assemblage that includes real socks for ears, garlic for eyes, an onion for the tail and pepperoni for a nose. "Yucky-Boo!" announces the girl as the dachshund-like doggie is revealed. "I warned you." The girl's self-portrait is a veritable catalogue of objects, from the obligatory crown to a magnifying glass (for curiosity). Some of the rationales for objects don't sound very kid-like-dad's mouth, the girl explains, was inspired by his tendency to be "as stubborn as a KNOT in a ROPE." But Piven astutely captures the restless imagination and unsparing self-criticism that defines the budding artist; the girl dismisses her own drawing of her mother with a curt, "Sorry, but it doesn't tell the whole story." This invitation for readers to create portraits of "your special family"-Piven even throws in a few suggestions for things that suggest qualities like "smart" and "funny"-is certain to get a prompt RSVP. Ages 4-8. (May) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 2-4-Filled with plays on words and similes, this delightful offering will encourage children's creativity. The narrator makes a line drawing of her family but explains that it doesn't do them justice. "And what about this drawing of my mom? Sorry, but it doesn't tell the whole story. My mommy is as soft as the softest FLUFF and as bright as the brightest LIGHT." This section ends, "That's my yummy mommy!" The gouache-and-watercolor illustrations are embellished with glued-on objects like a lightbulb for a nose, a croissant for a mouth, and a boa for hair, in this case on Mom. The pictures support the text and add to the subtext. The book ends with an invitation to readers to create images of their families. Younger children will enjoy the story, but older kids will love the nuances, the opportunity for individuality, and the challenge of portraying their own relatives in this style. An author's note describes a workshop that Piven conducted for children hospitalized with cancer; their wonderful creations adorn the endpapers.-Linda M. Kenton, San Rafael Public Library, CA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
The narrator of this goofy art-project of a story tries to improve on her simple family picture by adding objects that better describe each member of her family. Similes abound, some more effective than others. The resulting portraits, composed of gouache and watercolor with the real objects glued on, will delight readers and inspire them to make their own. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Pairing similes both verbal and visual, a child characterizes each member of her family--"My daddy is as jumpy as a SPRING and as playful as a SPINNING TOP. He is as fun as a PARTY FAVOR. But sometimes he's as stubborn as a KNOT in a ROPE"--then presents a paint-and-collage portrait in which each named object is incorporated as a facial or other feature. Freer of the strained cleverness that hobbles his What Presidents Are Made Of (2004) and What Athletes Are Made Of (2006), this is more likely to draw a young audience, and Piven includes both starter lists ("Things that say 'smart': ruler, numbers, owl") and endpaper galleries of examples as enticements for children to create portraits of their own. (Picture book. 6-8) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
