A CHILD'S INTRODUCTION TO ART: THE WORLD'S GREATEST PAINTINGS AND SCULPTURES: A REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY

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A CHILD'S INTRODUCTION TO ART

The World's Greatest Paintings and Sculptures

BY HEATHER ALEXANDER

ILLUSTRATED BY MEREDITH HAMILTON

ABOUT THE BOOK:
The newest volume in Black Dog’s best-selling, award-winning Child’s Introduction series explores the fascinating world of art and artists and includes do-it-yourself art projects throughout.

In the tradition of Black Dog’s best-selling Child’s Introduction books, which include The Story of the Orchestra and A Child’s Introduction to the Night Sky, A CHILD’S INTRODUCTION TO ART introduces kids ages 9 to 12 to the art world’s most famous painters, styles, and periods, all brought to life through full-color photographs of 40 masterpieces, as well as charming original illustrations.

The book highlights 40 painters and sculptors, including Leonardo da Vinci, Claude Monet, Diego Velasquez, Vincent van Gogh, Salvador Dali, Mary Cassatt, and Andy Warhol, providing information on their life, inspirations, influences, technique, and a full-color photo of one of their signature works of art. It also includes an overview of various styles and periods (Renaissance, Impressionism, Cubism, etc.), instruction on how to view and appreciate art, and information on the color wheel and other tools artists employ.

Fun art projects throughout, such as Can You Find It?, Q-tip pointillism, making a stained-glass window with tissue paper, and Spatter Paint like Pollock, allow kids to learn about painting techniques and explore their own artistic abilities. Meredith Hamilton’s witty illustrations add another dimension to the excellent text and photographs.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Heather Alexander has written several books for children and young adults, including previous books in this series, such as A Child’s Introduction to the World and A Child’s Introduction to Greek Mythology. She served as vice president and editorial director at Parachute Press, where she edited four young-adult series, three middle-grade series, and several nonfiction titles. She lives in Basking Ridge, New Jersey.

   

ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR:
Meredith Hamilton graduated from Brown University and has an MFA from the School of Visual Arts. Formerly an art director at Newsweek and Time, she illustrated the previous six books in the Child’s Introduction series, among other books, and her work can be found in magazines and animations as well. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her husband and three children.

MY THOUGHTS/REVIEW:
A CHILD’S INTRODUCTION TO ART is a wonderful new book from Black Dog & Leventhal Publishing who has given readers so many award-winning books on different subjects. I was delighted to get this copy to share with my grandson and to keep for him to enjoy even more as he gets older. Currently 4 years old, he enjoyed the book a great deal but since it is geared to children between 8 and 12, I know he will get more from it in a few years. In that his aunt is the Executive Director for the Arts where we live in Dallas, he comes by his love of art naturally. Also, his grandmother is a senior docent at the Museum of Art here and so he has been exposed to all kinds of art from a very young age. The book not only focuses on artists but also involves young readers by including projects they can try for themselves.

The inclusion of several different activities for children to try supports the different artists and techniques they are reading about. The directions for each activity are clearly written and thus can even be used with much younger children as I did with my grandson. Projects such as “Can You Find It?”, “Making a Stained-glass Window with Tissue Paper”, or “Splatter Paint with Pollock” incorporate different techniques while allowing the child to create representations of their own.

Author Heather Alexander has given readers an educational and enjoyable book just perfect for whatever artistic level a reader wishes to pursue. With Illustrator Meredith Hamilton’s artwork and the clever layout of the book overall, children can’t help but be caught up in art. As they browse through the book, readers will find themselves dreaming of their own artistic ideas to execute.

Filled with many of the most famous artists, A CHILD’S INTRODUCTION TO ART includes stunning photographs of 40 masterpieces. It also includes original illustrations. Familiar names will soon be part of your child’s vocabulary as they learn about the works of Vincent van Gogh, Leonardo da Vinci, Claude Monet, Mary Cassatt, Andy Warhol and many more. It goes into the artists’ lives and techniques. Periods and styles of art such as Cubism and the Renaissance are explained in clear terms. Youngsters will learn about color wheels and artists’ materials as these tools of the trade are explained.

A CHILD’S INTRODUCTION TO ART not only is a book I am happy I have to share with my grandson, but it taught me quite a lot. I know this is a book that we will use and refer to many times in the coming years. 

GIVEAWAY

THANKS TO AUDREY AND THE WONDERFUL

PEOPLE AT BLACK DOG & LEVENTHAL

PUBLISHING, I HAVE ONE COPY OF THIS

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