The children's interactive story of art

This attractively designed volume, published in the UK in association with the National Gallery in London, offers an informative introduction to various artists, art movements, and iconic artworks. Related in browser-friendly layouts, clear text, and nicely reproduced artwork, the content ranges from prehistoric cave paintings to postmodernism and contemporary art and predominantly focuses on paintings, with only periodic mentions of other forms, such as sculpture. Specific movements and regions are also highlighted, while occasional Featured Artist spreads discuss an individual artist's specific style and characteristics, accompanied by representative artworks and some biographical information. Sidebars include activities, such as creating a Degas-inspired chalk-pastel picture, and Did You Know? features, which encourage active engagement from readers. While women artists and artists of color are included only scantily, and the touted interactive element an app (unavailable at time of review) enabling readers to create their own gallery and explore additional works more fully may not be accessible to all readers, many will still find this an appealing, visually rich, and sometimes thought-provoking introduction to famous artworks. Glossary and index appended.--Rosenfeld, Shelle Copyright 2016 Booklist