Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2--Not for the first time, Tullet pulls readers in and encourages them to interact with the book. It begins with a collection of "dots, lines, smudges, and scribbles" in black and white. Once readers touch them, they have a "drawing hand!" Then they can use their magic hand to (pretend to) add red, blue, and yellow dots of various sizes on the page to create pictures. They might make a "dance of dots" or a flower. The images become more complex as readers are invited to imagine adding lines and scribbles. Tullet's next illustration then reflects what might have been drawn if readers were really painting. Rather than a flower, the final picture might be a bird, a car, or a rocket. The pictures can be placed together to create a scene. Each page requiring interaction includes a small palette in the upper-left corner with spots of red, yellow, and blue. The progression from black and white to color, and from simple dots to lines and grids allows readers to see how images are built from a combination of elements. VERDICT An engaging exploration of creativity to use with children one-on-one or as part of an introductory art lesson; hand out finger paints and blank pieces of paper for messy story hours.--Suzanne Costner
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
Art making is distilled into simple steps--and a whole lotta fun. Black "dots, lines, smudges, and scribbles" appear on a white background. An unseen narrator instructs readers to place their hands on the page to feel it "vibrate." On the next page, the patterns have formed the shape of a hand--the "drawing hand"--as if the dots and lines are reacting to the actual hand that's touched them. In typical Tullet fashion, subsequent pages allow readers to interact with the book and to make art by following simple instructions. First, kids are invited to use their fingers to drag and drop red, blue, and yellow dots onto little marked x's to make "a whole dance of dots!" and, later, a flower. Readers are asked to draw lines and then scribbles. Each prompt ends with bold, black lines transforming the project into a flower--even after some surprising twists. Encouraging phrases such as "Brilliant!" and "Bravo, bravo!" cheer readers on throughout. The inclusion of smudges and other imperfections beautifully provides nonverbal support for the affirmations. Tullet has molded a familiar formula into something both fun and meaningful. By starting simple and moving on to more abstract techniques, the book represents a scaffolded lesson at its best. The open-ended conclusion brilliantly takes art out of flower territory and opens a Pandora's box of creativity. A call to action that's sure to make an artist out of anyone. (Interactive picture book. 3-6) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
