Review by Booklist Review
*Starred Review* Brooks' goal is to convince her readers that art is not just something one observes, but rather something that one does. Using a topic beloved by many kids animals she presents 13 works by famous artists, each of which incorporates animals into its subject and theme. Each reproduced masterpiece occupies its own two-page spread, and Brooks explores one major art technique for each. It's impossible not to be intrigued: What's the first thing you notice in this picture? Have you ever seen things in a dream that wouldn't make sense in real life? Turn the flap, and the art lesson waits beneath to offer a hands-on approach to each broad concept. For example, Matisse's The Snail is accompanied by a project that explores drawing with scissors and finding patterns in creatures from nature. The projects range in difficulty from those with beginner's skills to those suited for more experienced young artists. A diverse selection of works of art, from Degas to totem poles to Ming pottery, is included, and an introductory discussion of major movements in visual art is incorporated into each explanation. Brooks believes that a deeper appreciation of high art can be had by kids, and this revelatory offering encourages them to find it.--Anderson, Erin Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Horn Book Review
These compelling art-appreciation/hands-on-activity volumes acquaint children with masterpieces and their creators then engage them with a related, easy-to-follow project on a gatefold: Picasso's Weeping Woman leads to using bold shapes to express emotion; surrealist Mirs's Carnival of Harlequin pairs with a prompt to create imaginative "crazy creatures." The art reproductions are crisp and the book design is snazzy. Glos., ind. [Review covers these titles: Get into Art Animals and Get into Art People.] (c) Copyright 2014. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Families may want to ride the DIY wave with this attractive British import, which publishes simultaneously with the similarly conceived Get into Art: People (2013). Youngsters are presented with a dozen works of art featuring animals and accompanying art projects of varying degrees of difficulty. The bright primary-colored cover and lively design (featuring a flap in each double-page spread) belie the inherent difficulty of most of these projects. The majority require far more than the usual paper-crayons-paste-scissors level of art supplies. Parents and teachers will need to carefully check the materials list for each project and gauge the child's skill level to avoid frustration or failure. Some projects are simple and satisfying--like a vibrant cut-paper collage inspired by Matisse's The Snail. Others are more complex and require adult support. A take on Escher's Fish (E59) requires "graph paper, thin card stock, glue, ruler, pencil, scissors, tape, white paper, colouring materials (for example markers, oil pastels, watercolor paint, paintbrushes)." Brooks then directs children to create individual fish "outlined in marker, shaded with oil pastel [and] washed over with watercolor paint." They are to then be pasted down in a carefully matched, tiled design for an Escher-style "Fish Squish." When enjoyed by adults and kids together, this book will deliver a pleasing, fresh mix of animal-artinspired projects utilizing varying media and techniques. (table of contents, glossary, art materials checklist, index) (Nonfiction. 7-12)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
