Review by Booklist Review
*Starred Review* Each night Janson the mouse explores the museum where she lives. Upon discovering the modern art section, her little world opens. She responds to the paintings, collages, drawings, and sculptures by creating her own, based on the ones she sees each night. When the modern wing is closed for renovation, Janson stares at the bare walls and looks forlorn. Not for long, though. She creates new pictures inspired by her old favorites and leaves her paintings on display. The museum director finds them and decides to exhibit her works, including her mousterpiece, the one picture painted in her own personal style. Following the story, which is pared down to the essentials, a four-page appended section, Janson's Favorite Artists, includes a little information about the 22 artists represented, paired with postage-stamp-sized reproductions of each visual homage interpreting the modern masters from a mouse's perspective. The book's striking cover features a rectangular cut-out that frames the title-page illustration of Janson painting a jungle scene inspired by Henri Rousseau. On the pages within, the generous use of white space heightens the impact and the color intensity of the artwork. A charming introduction to modern art, an inspiring starting point for young art students, and a tribute to the way art can spark imagination.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Janson, a mouse who looks a little like Arthur's sister D.W., lives in a museum and paints a string of homages to modern artists before creating, on the last page, a dreamy "mousterpiece" that signals her attainment of true artist status: "[S]he did it her own way. In her own style. Unlike anyone else's." Most of the pages, though, are devoted to sweet-tempered parodies of modern artists: Janson does mouse versions of Josef Albers, Frank Stella, Chuck Close, and many others, adding a mouse face to a Warhol can of soup and subtracting a mouse-shaped white space from a spattered Pollack. Since children won't necessarily be familiar with the artists, Zalben's story offers an opportunity for adult-child discussions; an afterword provides sketch biographies of the artists Janson imitates, although the accompanying thumbnails only show Zalben's (Baby Shower) parodies once again, not the originals. (Also, 22 artists, and not a single woman.) Best used in combination with outside resources that allow for a fuller understanding of the artwork presented. Ages 3-7. Agent: Elizabeth Harding, Curtis Brown, Ltd. (Aug.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-Janson the mouse lives in an art museum where she roams freely after all the visitors leave. When she happens upon the modern wing, she is mesmerized. Paintings by Picasso and Matisse, Munch and Pollack, Van Gogh and Warhol spark her creative talents and she emulates them all. When the wing is closed for renovation, Janson is bereft. How will she live without these amazing paintings? Rather than leave the space empty, she paints and paints until the room is once again filled with art. The museum director happens upon her work and mounts a show for her. As with all art shows, some people like it and others don't. In the end, she has grown as a painter and developed a style of her own. Zalben's simple, unfussy cartoons are engaging and fanciful, filled with clever and telling detail. This is an engaging book built around some of the great artists of the 20th century and introduces children to their signature styles. It has a wonderful, inspiring story; marvelous illustrations; and back matter that connects them all. Mousterpiece is a terrific springboard for aspiring young artists everywhere.-Joan Kindig, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA (c) Copyright 2012. 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 Kirkus Book Review
Who needs a cookie? Give a mouse a paintbrush! Janson lives in a museum, in a cozy corner with a pillow and a rose-speckled blanket. One day, she stumbles upon something new, "and her little world opened." Striding across a gray page, with a soft white glow around her figure to show energy, Janson emerges into a white background and finds--art! Immediately entranced, this self-possessed, humble rodent sets to work copying the masters. A grid of pop-art self-portraits (Janson's face, with her tenderly expressive eyebrow angle) pays homage to Andy Warhol's Marilyn series; Janson reclining in a jungle recalls Rousseau; Janson's snout, elongated and triangulated into cubism, echoes Picasso. Each clean, white page centers Janson at work; an occasional wall angle, easel or dropcloth nimbly enhances the minimal composition. Janson's gray body and striped skirt are warm hues of low saturation, sending focus to the colors within her artwork: Campbell's red soup can with mouse face, la Warhol; blues and yellows for van Gogh's Starry Night; primaries for a geometric Mondrian mouse and a Munch mouse Scream. When museum renovation bars Janson from the art wing, she weeps, truly bereft, then forges ahead, painting from memory and defining her own style. Discovery and an exhibit follow. Janson's climactic mousterpiece features canvas texture showing through the paint, honoring her beloved medium. The joyful clarity of both vision and execution thrills. (notes on 22 artists referenced) (Picture book. 3-7)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
