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Kids and Art Book
Reviews
By Nancy Taylor
How to Talk to Children About Art
By Francoise Barbe-Gall
If you are not well-heeled in art history, don’t know a
paintbrush from a pastel, love art and want to help your
kids love it too, this is just the book for you. Written in
simple laymen’s terms, this book has all the questions the
artistically-challenged may have but are afraid to ask. Art
can be intimidating, and if you are one to wonder without
asking, check out this informative guide to the fine arts.
Organized in question and answer format, How to Talk to
Children About Art is color coded for three age groups. Full
color reproductions of famous painters like Botticelli,
Degas and Chagall along with historical background provide
parents with a wonderful springboard into discussion of the
fine arts with their children. Available from Chicago Review
Press at book and art stores everywhere.
Once Upon a Picture
By Sally Swain
“Once upon a picture in 1889, Vincent Van Gogh painted ‘The
Starry Night’…”
In order to make art accessible to children, we need to
foster a love for it that extends beyond simply telling them
to look at pretty pictures. Sally Swain duplicates the style
of Vincent Van Gogh’s ‘Starry Night,’ Pierre-Auguste
Renoir’s ‘The Umbrellas,’ Paul Klee’s ‘Twittering Machine’
and Henri Rousseau’s ‘Tiger in a Tropical Storm’ to weave a
tapestry of art and storytelling sure to delight children
and their parents. She transforms the art into stories that
kids can relate to that will bring the paintings to life.
Her choice of works along with her gift for whimsy will make
an impression on kids and is sure to awaken the artist (or
art-lover) in all of us. Available in bookstores everywhere
and through Independent Publishers Group online at
www.ipgbook.com
or by calling 1-800-888-4741.
Galileo for Kids: His Life and Ideas, 25 Activities
By Richard Panchyk
Galileo was a brilliant man; ahead of his time, dismissed by
many as sacrilegious or crazy or just simply wrong. His
ideas of astronomy and mathematics, music and art were well
beyond what the people of his era were used to. He was a
true genius. With Galileo for Kids parents and teachers can
explore the world through Galileo’s eyes and do some of the
experiments that he did. From simple experiments that
illustrate gravity and water displacement to more complex
projects showing projectile motion or charting of curves,
the activities will help kids understand some of the more
complex scientific principals in simple terms. This
historical timeline of Galileo and some of the prominent
scientists who lived in the same timeframe is interesting,
informative and fun for everyone who finds they have a flair
for the scientific. Available in bookstores everywhere and
through Independent Publishers Group online at
www.ipgbook.com
or by calling 1-800-888-4741.
Galileo’s Universe
Poems by J. Patrick Lewis
Illustrations by Tom Curry
Everybody loves a pop-up book. Galileo’s Universe is a
unique blend of poetry, art and education in this book about
the life of Galileo. Designed for the younger child,
Galileo’s Universe introduces children to the world as this
great scientist saw it and allows a hand-on look at science
from Galileo’s perspective. This interesting and fun version
of the story of the life of this great scientist is the
perfect way to open the door for more in-depth observation
for the child interested in the astronomy and the planets.
Available from Creative Editions, Galileo’s Universe can be
found in bookstores nationwide.
Primary Art: It’s the Process, not the Product
By MaryAnn F. Kohl
Art exploration is a wonderful way for young children to
learn, develop and grow. We all know that the product is far
less important than the product. Primary Art is a wonderful
book loaded with more simple, fun art projects geared for
the primary child than any one family can do in a year.
Projects are unique and innovative, and everyone who tackles
any of them will be delighted with both their simplicity and
creativity. All projects have a simple description, a list
of required supplies and instructions on the process
involved. Especially messy projects have a warning to
parents to be sure to cover the area (and the child)
appropriately. Simplicity, time involved and adult
assistance requirements are clear on each of the projects.
Perfect for rainy-day or any-day fun. Published by Gryphon
House, Inc. and available in book, art and teacher supply
stores everywhere.
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