Reviews (3)

wonderful for beginning drawers -even older children
This book is terrific, non-intimidating and easy to follow. It sparks creativity by giving further ideas to draw for each illustration. Even the 5th graders at the school I teach art at love this book.

Great book for children and adults
I am currently buying this book for my nephew as a stocking stuffer. I bought this book for my 10 year old daughter 3 years ago, but I have to tell you that my whole family still uses it. Great illustrations, not to mention easy to follow directions! Everytime my daughter has a poster project that entails drawing a animal we pull this book off the shelf. I recommend this book to anyone.

Lots of fun!
This is a very simple step by step drawing book. It uses shapes and lines to create some impressive looking animals. The book uses colors that are eye catching and appealing to children. Both my 5 year old daughter and I learned to draw some great looking animals. This book and others in the series helped a hopeless artist survive kindergarten homework that required drawing. ... Read more

Book Description

Beginning drawing and writing lessons for children ages five to ten. The Boxed Set includes Books 1 through 8 of the Draw Write Now series. The books are simple enough for a young child to do independently, but a teacher or parent may present the lessons. Each drawing lesson includes a colorful picture and step-by-step instructions, while the writing lesson includes four simple handwritten sentences. The teacher or parent may introduce letter formation, have the children copy the sentences for handwriting practice, or use the lessons as a springboard for creative writing or report writing. Developed by an elementary school teacher and co-authored by her daughter. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Can't Keep Them On the Shelves!
I am a teacher-librarian and I can't keep these drawing books on the shelves! I am always looking for drawing books and these are perfect for the primary and early elementary age group. The simple instructions and diagrams help the children to produce realistic drawings which are the starting point for a host of creative projects! I've noticed that the children are becoming more confident in their ability to draw and they are developing a LOVE of drawing. Tell me where to get more books like these!

Grab the colored pencils!
Colored pencils and a pad of paper are all your children (ages about 7-12) will need to get started making fun recognizable drawings. Simple line art - in a "draw this line" ... "now add this curve" format will guide your child to succesful illustrations for school projects or just for enjoyment.

The format for each drawing also includes a simple (grade 1 or 2) story in 2-3 sentences about the drawing (hence the "Write" part of the title) which your child can include in his final drawing.

But the best part is the grouped topics which provide lots of examples of items to draw within a given subject area (artic region, deserts, farm animals, pilgrims, etc.) 2nd-3rd graders and up can combine various components parts to build fairly elaborate scenarios, and all the items in the drawing will be recognizable (no more, "Mmm, Johnny. Very nice. Please tell me about THIS part of your picture") and so the satisfaction level on the part of the child is high.

This is not a comprehensive drawing curriculum. It probably isn't going to be helpful for an artistically gifted child, but us average joes who want to make a horse look like a horse and not a dog, it's a great tool and will provide many hours of drawing enjoyment for a child who likes to work independently.

This multi-volume set includes all the titles, but each title is also available separately. ... Read more

Book Description

Julie is a happy little girl who lives in Paris, but she wishes she could walk in a country garden. Julie is pleased when her mother decides to take her to visit the most wonderful garden in the world, owned by a great friend of the family. They arrive at their destination, and for this little girl it is like walking in a dreamy world where twisting plants grow as tall as trees. When Julie’s dog runs away, she asks the gardener to help find her pet, and soon she and the gardener are friends. But this amiable, bearded old man is a very unusual gardener, for not only does he cultivate his many plants, he also paints beautiful pictures of them. Julie has made a friend of the great impressionist painter, Claude Monet. Based on a true story about the daughter of another fine artist, Berthe Morisot, this charmingly illustrated picture book includes reproductions by author-illustrator Laurance Anholt of a famous waterlilies painting, which Monet completed in his garden at Giverny, a few miles from Paris. ... Read more

Book Description

Random House is proud to present the tenth anniversary edition of a book Publishers Weekly called "a gem of a book...a story that goes straight to the heart."When nine-year-old Gregory experiences several upsets in his life, he responds by creating a fantastic chalk garden on the charred walls of a burned-out factory behind his house.As his garden grows and flourishes, Gregory finds a voice through his art and, for the first time, is able to find his own place in the world.The Chalk Box Kid is sure to delight a new generation of children and their parents. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

A Garden is in the Eye of the Beholder
Three burned and sooty walls prove an irresistable lure to a lonely 9-year-old boy. Friendless in a new school in a decaying neighborhood, and disrespected by his unemployed young uncle, Gregory discovers the remains of a chalk factory behind his
cement-filled back yard. Who says he can't have a garden like the other kids in his class--it's in the eye and the heart of the gardener, after all. In this case the gardener is a budding
artist, who wants to recreate the beauty of nature and living things in this--his only private space. Even his skeptical parents discover that their son has talent, thanks to his conscientious teacher.

Bulla's literary strokes are characterized by short, simple sentences and minmal kid dialogue. The author's canvas depicts a world of pre teen loneliness, peer pressure and the innate need for social
appreciation. But who will prove brave enough to defy the crowd? This is a good book for young readers who have suffered the trauma of moving or familial rejection, with good insight into the artistic temperament.

This is an interesting book about a 9 year old boy, Gregory.
This book is about a nine-year-old boy named Gregory. The story starts with the worst birthday of his life because he is moving to a house that he has never seen before and it ends with a friendship. When he moves to a new house, at the beginning, his birthday is the best, because he has his own room.

Towards the middle of the book, he finds a burned down chalk factory, with only three walls left standing. He draws a beautiful garden on these three walls, with the chalk that he has found.

In the beginning of the summary, we mentioned that it ends with a friendship. The friend's name is Ivy. Ivy is a shy girl who loves art as much as Gregory.

Matthew and Skylar

Third Grade

What an imagination!
Gregory moves into a new house in a new town on his birthday.He starts his new school and his class is doing a project, they are growing gardens at home. Gregory can't grow a regular garden like the other kids, so with some chalk and a burned building behind his house he draws his garden on the walls of the building. He makes a friend, Ivy who also likes to draw. His classmates make fun of his garden, but in the end everyone thought his garden was beautiful.

The Chalk Box Kid.
If you want a book where you can slip into the person's shoes,and feel like you know the character, then this is the book for you. Gregory was staying with his Aunt Grace for his birthday, because his mother and father were moving to a new house.They hade to move because got fired and found another job on the other side of town, so they hade to move.
Then when Gregory's mother and father got to Anut Grace's house they hade to get back home.When they got there Gregory asked do I have my own room? He did and he was so happy he said "This is better then a party and cake this is the best Birthday ever!" The next day he started the first day of school, in his new school. That day when he came home from school he was walking around and found a gate to a burnt down building. He cleaned it up a bit and found a box of chalk. That at school Mr. Hiller, a friend of Miss.Perry, came in and taught Gregory and the rest of the kids all about plants. When Gregory when home that night he said to his mother,"We don't have any grass around here". So he started to draw plants in the building. His mother and father did nit want to see.They were too busy.Don,t worry the end gets gets better.
I could not put the book down because the book never ended,and you would most likely would want to stay up and read it.You will like the book but you have to read it to find out!!!

A Friendship
I really liked this book because it was about a kid named Gregory who moves to a new town with his mother and father. It is bad enough moving without having any friends, but not making any new ones is pretty bad too. Everyone was given some seeds to plant a garden. But at his new house he doesn't have much of a yard so he can't make a garden. Behind his house is a burned down chalk factory, so he draws a garden. If you want to find out if he makes any friends read this book. ... Read more

Amazon.com

On one of their weekly balloon flights over Celesteville, Babar and Celeste notice that the railroad station is standing empty. Elephants, it seems, now prefer cars over trains. Interestingly, although Babar comments on the roads "jammed with traffic," he and his queen decide to focus on the other issue--the abandoned station. Celeste comes up with an idea to turn it into a museum to house their art collection, and soon an architect is drawing up plans and workers are renovating the building. When the great day of the opening arrives, what a show! The royal couple had acquired some pretty impressive and well known works of art--all featuring elephants, of course. Laurent de Brunhoff outdoes himself with the real-life art-inspired paintings and sculptures, from Mary Cassatt’s"Mother and Child" to Edvard Munch’s "The Scream" to Leonardo da Vinci’s "Mona Lisa." Young art buffs will enjoy the very age-appropriate art appreciation lessons, as the children are encouraged!to say whatever they want about the art: "I like this picture because it’s red," says Arthur about Van Gogh’s "Self-Portrait." When pedantic Cornelius tries to pontificate, Celeste gently hushes him. Includes a free pull-out poster. (Ages 4 to 7) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Note Cards
Buyer beware -- these note cards fold to 3"x5".

wonderful
My wife's parents gave this book to my daughter. I was as delighted as she was! I grew up on Babar. What a lovely children's book! My four year old daughter absolutely adores it. Buy this for the children in your life and they will love it.

A delightful visit to Babar's Museum of Art
A balloon ride over Celesteville leads to Babar and Celeste deciding to turn in an abandoned train station into a museum in which they can display their great collection of fine paintings. Everyone in town gets more and more excited waiting for the big day when the museum is opened and everyone can see everything that is hanging on the walls inside. The paintings might be intended for the elephants and other animal friends of Babar and Celeste and this book might be intended for younger readers, but the readers who will most enjoy Laurent De Brunhoff's book are going to be those old enough to appreciate the witty elephant-inspired version of great paintings from Michaelangelo's "Creation of Man" and Sandro Botticelli's "Birth of Venus" to George Surat's "A Sunday on La Grande Jatte" and Edvard Munch's "The Scream." There is just something intrinsically enjoyable about taking Leonardi Da Vinci's "Mona Lisa" and making the lady with enigmatic smile an elephant, and the idea of doing the same thing with Vincent Van Gogh's "Self Portrait" is hysterical since Babar is an African elephant and not an Indian elephant. The more you know about great art the more you will enjoy strolling through the galleries with Babar and his family. The book also includes a pull-out poster of the delightful art found in "Babar's Museum of Art." The adventures of Babar have been delighting children for half a century and this is a charming addition to the series. It should also inspire its young readers to check out the "real" versions of these great paintings so that they can find out what the adults are chuckling about as they enjoy "Babar's Museum of Art." Is it too early to be thinking about books that would be great to give as gifts to young readers for Christmas? This one should be high up on that list.

Wonderful for preschoolers through elementary children!
Some of us remember having "Babar" books read to us when we were children. This book rekindles those warm thoughts while providing an interesting, entertaining look at art and life. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

"Draw 50 Dogs" of the terrific Draw 50 series
I must admit that for me it takes a bit of work to draw realistic and 3 dimensional pictures. But using the 'Draw 50' books are so very, very easy to use! Lee J. Ames's drawing method is simple with the step-by-step instructions which are easy to follow. For kids 9 and older, "Draw 50 Dogs" by Lee J. Ames is great for drawing in your scrapbook, onto your notebooks, on cards, etc.

As the title says, this book includes instructions to draw 50 dogs; all of the 50 are different breeds and types. For me I love the portraits though I also love to draw dogs running or posing. My favorite pictures to draw are most probably the 'Irish Wolfhound', 'Cairn Terrier', 'German Shepherd Dog', 'Cocker Spaniel', and 'English Setter'. The book has another nice touch which is at the bottom of each drawing, there is some information on that dog including a brief history of the breed, average weight and height of the dog, and coat and color of the dog. Extremely helpful especially if you are thinking of coloring your drawing afterwards or would like to know how big to draw the dog when putting it in a background. My only complaint that there isn't a picture of a papillon to draw which I would like to (the reason? I have a papillon for a pet!).

Of course all of the "Draw 50" series are great, be sure to check them all out! The books I want are "Draw 50 Athletes", "Draw 50 Cats", "Draw 50 Cars, Trucks, and Motorcycles", and "Draw 50 Famous Faces".

Great book
I agree with the other reviews,this is a great book in the series. If you have an interest in drawing or know someone who does,you'll find these books to be very useful. My daughter had brought some home from the library & asked for me to buy them.They go step by step with you,in no time you'll have a wonderful picture!

Draw 50 dogs
This wonderful step-by-step drawing book has great illustrations like the Yorkshire terrier(My favourite). Lee J. Ames, author, is very kind as I had e-mailed him many times. Hope you like this book too...

It made drawing dogs easy as 123!!!
It has great step by step drawings of many different breeds. I would recomend it to anyone who can and can't draw dogs. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

The diverse and prolific art career of Pablo Picasso
Well, if there is one artist who is perfect for Mike Venezia's "Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists" series it would have to be Pablo Picasso. Venezia comes to a key point about Picasso right off the bat, comparing a 1896 painting "The Altar Boy," done when Picasso was 15 with "Boy in Sailor Suit with Butterfly Net" done when he was 57 in 1938. Of course the first is done in a realist mode and the second is abstract. In fact, Venezia would be hard pressed to identify all of the different styles in which Picasso painted over the course of his career, but he does try. Venezia is able to focus on Picasso's Blue Period as the point where his work finally became different from anyone else's. We also look at the Rose Period and Cubism, with a lengthy section devoted to Picasso's most powerful and serious painting, "Guernica." However, the most insightful part of the book is when we see Piccaso's "Portrait of Jaime Sabartes as a Spanish Grandee" with another portrait done from a photograph. The comparison shows that although the painting was abstract, he still managed to make it look like the real person.

This book certainly serves as a decent introduction for young readers to the life and art of Picasso. The problem is that we are talking about one of the most prolific and diverse artists in the history of art and 32 pages is simply not enough space to do the subject justice. Venezia provides enough specifics about a few of the paintings to constitute some first steps in the direction of real art appreciation. There are 16 paintings by Picasso reproduced in this book, which are about how many are seen behind the artist in the picture of Picasso in his studio that opens the book. As always with Picasso, the most interesting thing will be to see which "style" youngers decide is best after reading this book.

This book is about...
This book was about a painter. The book is non-fiction. Picasso was in his teens when he started painting. He painted lots of famous pictures. One of his paintings was 12 feet high and 25 feet wide. He painted it because he was mad about people dying in the civil war in Spain. He likes to move noses and body parts around in his paintings. I liked learning about Picasso.

A huge hit with grades K-3
I use this whole series in my elementary art class - and my students absolutely love it. Venezia highlights what is interesting to K-3 students while avoiding aspects of artists' lives that may not be appropriate for a young audience. Students love the cartoons Venezia includes along with the color images of the artist's work.

Tells the story of Picasso's life
It was a very readable historical biography of Picasso's life and the evolution of his painting styles.

A great way to introduce your child to modern art!
Mike Venezia shows paintings from Picasso's various "periods" and explains them in terms a child can understand.("...Picasso felt alone and sad.") He compares the realistic portraits of Picasso's youth to the cubist portraits of his later career, asking the child questions and providing terminology to help him appreciate the difference. ("The man...looks like he's been broken up into little cubes....Can you see the man's face...hands...cat?)

Venezia's humorous cartoon comments highlight the controversies that surrounded Picasso's work and give the adult reader a chuckle, too.

After reading the book with him, my six-year-old grandson had fun trying to imitate, with his own body, the movement that Picasso was trying to portray with his "displaced" body parts. ... Read more

Book Description

Geraldine is a goat, and Glenmae, a Navajo weaver. One day, Glenmae decides to weave Geraldine into a rug. First Geraldine is clipped. Then her wool is spun into fine, strong yarn. Finally, Glenmae weaves the wool on her loom. They reader learns, along with Geraldine, about the care and pride involved in the weaving of a Navajo rug -- and about cooperation between friends. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Kids book? I still love it at 30 years old!
I was raised on this book and it has always been a favorite of mine. The pictures are delightful and the story has stayed with me through the years. I love how Geraldine decides to eat all the yummy plants they were going to use to dye the wool. OOPS! Now I find it is on the school reading list and being used in the classroom! I highly recommend this book as a favorite for children and parents alike.

Goat's point of view
This is a very funny story about a goat that tells the story of how her fur becomes a Navajo rug. If you look close enough at the front cover, you'll notice the book is written by the goat herself. It's a wonderful book for all ages, especially Navajo children.

Good for creative children
When I was little (a long time ago at this point!) I had this book and was utterly fascinated by it. I remember trying to dye yarn myself after reading it... (well, that didn't work out so well as I recall-- since this is NOT a how-to book, just an engaging story-- but it was fun all the same.) Now that I'm an adult, I would definately recommend this book to anyone with "creative" children who love to make things.

A charming book with wonderful illustrations
While visiting the Hubbell Trading Post, our daughter was able to watch as a Navajo weaver worked on a beautiful Ganado rug. The ranger working on the premises suggested this charming book. The story is told by a goat whose mohair is woven into a spectacular rug. The illustrations are enchanting and my daughter loves to giggle at the goat who stays with the weaver to "supervise" her work. She asks questions about the process of weaving and the interaction between the goat and the weaver. It's a lovely little book I wholeheartedly recommend! ... Read more

Book Description

This imaginative board book features beautiful paintings by a renowned artist paired with playful, rhyming text. In A Picnic with Monet, Claude Monet's light-filled paintings take children on an enchanted picnic in the countryside. This board book is a fun introduction ot art and an imaginative adventure all rolled into one! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Lovely, imaginative book
This book not only features Monet's beautiful paintings but the words are far above the quality usual found in children's books. It is enjoyable for adults as they share the artistic experience with their children. My eight month old baby loves it. It is one of her favorite books. I'm sure older children would appreciate it too. It's one of those books that parents won't mind reading again and again. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Highly Recommended
Katie and the Mona Lisa is a truly excellent book. My 4 yr old daughter likes to both draw and read. This is ideal for our bedtime reading -- it engages her, helping to her develop her imagination and learn a bit about art. I'm looking forward to going to an art museum, where I intend to ask my daughter which painting she'd like to crawl into! I also can't wait to buy the others in the series. Honestly!

Meet the Masters of the Italian Renissance
Katie is back visiting her favorite place, the art museum, with her Grandma. On this outing she stands in front of the picture of the Mona Lisa. "I wish I knew what is making you smile", she wonders. And with that, the Mona Lisa invites her into the painting. Katie steps over the frame and enters the world of the Italian Renaissance..... James Mayhew, author of Katie Meets the Impressionists, has written and illustrated another wonderfully inventive story, full of witty text and expressive artwork, that will transport youngsters back in time and send them on a very creative adventure. Poor Mona Lisa is sad and lonely, sitting in that chair without visitors for hundreds of years. So, Katie takes her "out" to meet new friends...They visit St. George from Raphael's St. George and the Dragon, dance with the beautiful women in Botticelli's Primavera and fly to Venice on Carpaccio's The Lion of St. Mark, causing a little trouble and leaving a bit of chaos in their wake. But fortunately, all is sorted out and put right in the end by the angel from da Vinci student's An Angel With a Lute. Katie and the Mona Lisa is an amusing and inspired story that will captivate children 4-8 with its magic and offers a terrific and imaginative introduction to the paintings of the Italian Renaissance.

A Captivating Introduction to Fine Art
I bought this book for my two year old daughter, and she loves it! The story itself is charming. As "Katie" steps into and out of various paintings in the art museum, she meets the people in the paintings. The author includes a little fact about each painting and/or artist within the text of the story. At the end of the story, the author gives more detailed information about every painting included in the book. The illustrations are also fabulous! Our whole family enjoys this book, and now our 2 year old recognizes the Mona Lisa when she sees "her." ... Read more

Reviews (2)

I used to read the series in elementary school...
Mike Venezia's books on the greatest artists of all time are off the chain! He make his books more interesting for kids under 10. This one about Italian Renaissance artist Di Vinci is probably one of his famous ones. (Since Di Vinci is famous for his painting called the "Mona Lisa" 1503-1506). This book contains famous paintings (some with details) from Di Vinci including the deteriation of the tempera "The Last Supper" (1498), from the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan. Each book includes back cover illustration of Venezia. His books are small steps to learn about each artist. The series also includes Venezia's comic illustrations. In high school art history, the reader will learn more detail about the artists that the author couldn't tell you (like I did).

da Vinci's realistic paintings makes art real for the young
"Leonardo used what he learned from nature and science to make his paintings look real", p 9

The young reader will learn about Leonardo's beginnings in Vinci, the time he spent in Florence learning more about painting, his painting years in Milan and his final years of painting in France.

Leonardo's depictions were noticeable more "alive" than his Renaissance contemporaries. His use of beautiful backgrounds behind the main object of attention makes this a good choice for the young. Their attention will initially be drawn to the main figure in the painting and then will be sustained by the natural settings in the background. His paintings almost appear that they are done while the person being painted in on vacation. The young will intuitively pick up on the relaxed composure of the main figures

Venezia's illustrations are humorous. His narrative is delightfully entertaining. His approach brings the artist within reach of the young. His illustration of some folks deciphering Leonardo's notes and their findings is cleverly presented.

The size of the book is perfect for smaller hands. It enables the young to have art within their grasp. Venezia gives the locations of the paintings and as result if the child lives near one of the museums or will be near one on vacation, she/he would be able to see the original.

This is the 4th in Venezia's "Getting to know the World's Greatest Artist" series. He also has a similar series on composers. Venezia's back cover illustration ties back to the subject. "Mike's portrait was painted by an artist who claims to be a direct descendant of ...".

The price of the book is well worth paying. The book contains the following: da Vinci's Paintings (10.5), Drawings (8) and Underpainings (2), Venezia's Illustrations - 7, Others' paintings - 1.5. ... Read more

Book Description

From the classrooms of top fashion schools to the studios of talented designers, this book takes kids on an inspiring tour of the dynamic world of fashion design. Replete with colorful photographs and facts about the history and the future of fashion, it even shows readers how to get started now. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Really nice book!
This is a really nice book. Lots of glossy color photos of star designers add to the enjoyment of reading this book. It's great for little or big girls interested in fashion. I especially liked the story of the little girl who made up a new kind of mitten. She's been very successful with her efforts. It shows that not everyone has to go to design school to be a success in the field.

great color pictures
This book is a great way to see how fashion works and all the things that is in the job the pictures are great if youre thinking about being a fashion designer than you need to buy this

Fashion Fantastic!
This book was excellent. It has all the criteria that is needed to fulfill any book on this specific topic. Fashion designing is one of my most enjoyed hobbies and this book has done it all. From sewing to buying, this book suits anyone. I recommend it to anyone - whether you do or don't like clothes. It is perfect!~ If you have ever read the book, "Fashion Sketchbook" and loved it, than you will like this one a whole lot more. "Fashion Sketchbook" got a four-star review and I rate this book five-star. Enjoy this book, it is full of helpful hints on every fashion flaw there is. So...get reading! ... Read more

Amazon.com

With little more than some ink, paper, and your own fingers, you canbecome an artist! Caldecott recipient Ed Emberley, author of Go Away, Big Green Monster!, aswell as many creative art books (Ed Emberley's Great Thumbprint DrawingBook, Ed Emberley'sDrawing Book: Make a World, etc.), shows readers how to turnfingerprints into lions, basketball players, reindeer, "bean buddies,"submarines, rainbow dragons, trees, even watermelon. Emberley providesstraightforward information about materials and techniques on the very firstpage, then sets readers free to discover and explore. Step by step, Emberleytakes artists through the process, showing, for each picture, a fingerprintfirst, then adding simple lines and other fingerprints to make the print evolveinto an entirely new entity. A mouse, for example, starts out as a brown ovalfingerprint. Next, two pink fingertip-print ears are added. A black dot makes anose. Two smaller dots become the eyes, and finally a few lines turn this blobinto a bewhiskered mouse head. Young artists can spend hours creating designs,patterns, and decorative scenes with this fun technique, especially if they moveon to advanced finger-printing on the last page. (Ages 4 to 8) --EmilieCoulter ... Read more

Reviews (5)

I LOVE this book!!!
A friend of mine gave me this book, along with some stamp pads and markers for my 39th birthday. I am having so much fun with it! I use the ideas in the book for decorating letters, envelopes and packages, and everyone loves them! I recently taught my 4 1/2 year old niece to make "thumbies" as my friends and I call them, and she was able to follow along easily. She made a balloon-carrying mouse, a butterfly, a "frog with no legs" and a clown. I was really surprised! So, now I'm ordering a copy to give to my sister for her.

Second generation of Ed Emberley artists!
We own four of Emberley's Drawing books and my kids loved them... they are now adults and I plan to use this newest book with my two grandchildren. Kids love to draw, but often get frustrated because the results "don't look right!". These books turn "I can draw??" into "I CAN DRAW!!" with smiles and laughter all around. The directions are very simple and the results satisfying... I recommend this book for all the budding artists you know.

EXCELLENT FOR BEGINNING DRAW-ERS!
I think its so sad when children say "i cant draw"... when all they need is someone to show them that it is easy and fun! This book is fabulous for the beginning drawers in your life...i try not to go by the age ranges as people learn to draw at different stages... i showed this book to my son's teacher who was convinced she couldnt draw only to see the pride in he smile when she made a few little fun pictures...clearly she was re-thinking her artistic ability! the pictures are simple as are the concepts but i think starting with the easy stuff builds self esteem and gives kids courage to move on the more difficult complex things...

I can finally draw!
I purchased this book for my five year old and I have spent all afternoon creating. I am all thumbs when it comes to art and drawing. I have never been able to reproduce drawings--but now I can. Mine look just like Ed's. WOW! There is no need to purchase ink pads- I just used my son's washable markers and colored my finger with them. What a great book!

Don't I Have This One Already?
That's the feeling I had when I received this as a present but, nope, I was wrong: I had the THUMBprint drawing book. And there's very little duplicatioin between this book and the thumb book!

Same premise and target audience, though: If your kids have fingers, they can draw! If they're very young, you can draw the details, but if they can hold a pencil, they can probably add the simple shapes and forms to make their own pictures.

The more drawing I do with kids, the more I realize how these books develop skills. They're a perfect gradient for youngsters just sitting down to draw. The books tell them what shapes to add, and it's a matter of duplicating those shapes in the right places--a skill one needs for more realistic drawing.

This is a great starter for a series of books that your kids will enjoy for years and will give them a comfort level and basic skill set they can use to make more sophisticated drawings later, if they want. ... Read more

Book Description

This award winning book offers over 250 art activities designed to encourage kids to make art a part of their everyday lives. Skills and materials are described with how-tos and recipes, but the projects themselves are open-ended to encourage creativity and to allow different results each time and by different age levels.Parent guidelines empower even "art impaired" adults, providing what every parent and teacher needs to know to create an environment that gets kids excited about art. Winner of a Parent's Guide to Children's Media Award. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great ideas, great approach to "teaching" art to children
Carolyn Holm has made a remarkable contribution in this book, for in it, she not only gives parents and teachers exciting ideas for "everyday" art projects, she also presents a clear and compellingrationale for approaching art with children with an open process.We usethis approach in the art studio of Habitot Children's Museum (a hands-onmuseum for young children in Berkeley).We see many parents who mean well,but who actually interfere in un-helpful ways with their their children'sart-making.This book is great for any parent or teacher who wants to seetheir children become truly creative and have high self-esteem. I recommendit highly!Gina Moreland, Director, Habitot Children's Museum ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

Museum ABC is a unique and colorful picture book that uses the alphabet to introduce children to more than a hundred works of art.A full spread is devoted to each letter of the alphabet and four pictures of the object represented. This simple presentation scheme allows readers to see how objects can be both the same and different in the eyes of various artists, cultures, and time periods.Children will be fascinated to discover that boats, roses, trees, or even windows can be so different from one another and from those they see every day.Adults will love the visual and cultural richness of this alphabetical tour through the Metropolitan Museum's collection.A fact section at the end of the book provides more details about each piece of art and its creator. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Museum ABC Metropolitan Museum of ART
I love this book. I read it to my 21 month old and he loves it! There is 4 differnt pictures on each letter and subject. Four different apples. We talk about how each one is different and how everyone sees an "apple" differently. "B" four boat shows for different kinds of boats. Definatly stimulating for baby.

Great keepsake book
This book is wonderful gift for children ages 2 and up. Age 2 children (like my son) will enjoy counting the apples on the A page, for example. Some of the art includes complex scenes that school-age children may enjoy losing themselves in. The book helps teach children about art and the alphabet in an intelligent, non-cutesy fashion. Each letter has a two-page layout: one page is: "[Letter] is for [one word]" in large type, and the second page is four different artistic intrepretations of that word, like: an Egyptian mural, a Japanese woodblock print, a Renaissance canvas, and nineteenth century French painting. What a refreshing change from cartoonish, character-based children's books!

Perfect combination of art and alphabet
As a parent, teacher and art lover, I'm always looking for quality art books for children. This book delivers beautifully. Both simple and elegant, it reinforces letter sounds and gives a mini "I Spy" with four paintings for each letter, as the above review describes. It is even careful to give the short sound for vowels; for example, U is for "umbrella," not "unicorn." This is an important distinction for very young children who will most likely learn the short sound first in school. Meanwhile, your child's eye is becoming increasingly comfortable viewing different styles of visual art, as each letter's object is offered in varying styles. Highly recommended - a great gift, too. Let's give our kids the gift of art appreciation!

This book is stunning!
My son's godmother gave it to him for his first birthday, and everyone at the party was entranced. It shows four paintings (or details from paintings) for each letter. For instance, H is for hair, and the pictures are of George Washington, a Japanese geisha, a French woman in the 18th century, and an Egyptian princess. This is a book you can look at again and again, and that adults won't tire of. A great, unusual ABC book. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Believe it or not, the first known pop-up element in a book appeared in an astrological manuscript in 1306. During the ensuing centuries, movable mechanics were used in more and more books--but only for adults. In the 1700s a British bookseller came up with the idea of illustrating well-known children's stories with movable flaps of paper. The rest, as they say, is history. Now aspiring paper mechanics (creative engineer-artists who create dimensional and movable books, otherwise known as pop-ups) can learn the how-tos and wherefores of this marvelous craft. From tip-ons to dummies to glue knock-outs, all the intricacies of pop-up production are outlined and explained.

Readers are invited to take apart the sample pop-ups (as long as they promise to put them back together!) to determine exactly how each score folds and where each glue point is. Instructions are somewhat advanced, but the dimensional samples and the step-by-step photographic essay on how a pop-up is made will ease the journey. David Carter and James Diaz have each created many, many pop-up books, and are passionate about their trade. So blow the cobwebs out of the geometry corner of your brain, and get to work! (Ages 9 and older) --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (11)

The strength of this book lies in its website
Elements of Pop Up is one of the few How To Make Pop-Ups books that features patterns for moving parts like wheel/tab mechanisms, which is why I purchased it. However, don't expect to be able to create anything extrememly fancy with this one. The examples are made of simple shapes that expect the user to expand upon them as necessary--this can be a detriment when you're trying to figure out how to alter the pattern to make something more complicated. The most useful part of the book, ironically, isn't even in the book: it's online at www.popupbooks.com, Carter's website. In the Surprise section, one can download all the patterns for making every example shown. Don't pass up buying the book, though. You'll most likely need Elements of Pop Up at your side to figure out how to assemble all your cut out pieces correctly. If you'd rather follow instructions and complete specific projects, I'd recommend Carter/Diaz's other book, Let's Make It Pop-Up! (ISBN 0-689-86508-2), which has pre-printed pictures and contains projects like Blooming Flower and Huggy Bear.

The Elements of Pop-Up
Finally: A how-to book on pop-up engineering with REAL pop-ups for examples! Not only is this a how-to book for budding paper engineers, it is a pop-up collectible in itself. Authored and designed by two of today's outstanding engineers, it demonstrates with clear instructions and graphic examples (which dramatically rise from the page) the various means by which the magicians of pop-up technology achieve their almost-magical effects. This is a book for all ages, to learn from but also simply to enjoy.

Very Well Done
I found this book in the special archives section at my university, and was very impressed. This book is clear, well thought out, and beautifully presented. If you are at all interested in this medium, buy this book.

A great book for students.
I have been teaching pop-up book design in my college 3-D Design class for about 6 years. My students have created many wonderful and beautiful projects. They not only create the mechanisms, but also fine artwork to match them. One of the most time-consuming aspects of the project is learning the specifics of mechanical design, This book illustrates in three dimensions the underlying concepts. It is very easy for a novice to gain an understanding of simple mechanics, proportions, and gluing methods.

Elements of Pop-Up is a simple book. It alone is not enough to teach high quality design. Well-done artful books are a must. There are many excellent examples such as A POP-UP BOOK of PHOBIAS, FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT IN POP-UP, A VICTORIAN FARMHOUSE, THE 12 DAYS of CHRISTMAS: A POP-UP CELEBRATION (by Robert Sabuda), any of the National Geographic pop-up book collection, and those by Chuck Murphy.

great, but elementary
i liked the whoile lay-out of the book...very simple, very low-key.
i would have liked to see more examples of how pop-up have been or could be used. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Hear Ye! Hear Ye!
Catherine Daly-Weir has done an excellent job of presenting a general and yet fairly complete introduction to Heraldry. The illustrations are beautiful and attractive. Obviusly written for the younger reader, adults will enjoy just as well. If you are working on a club/class project and need to creat a Coat of Arms, this book and Rosemary Chorzempa's "Design Your Own Coat of Arms" are all you need! You will have no trouble creating your own Coat of Arms expecially with the plastic stencil which is included in the book. A must have!

The stencil alone is worth the price!
This book is written for a younger audience than, say Rosemary Chorzempa's Design Your Own Coat of Arms. While there might not be as much information included, what is included is presented very well. There are full-color drawings that will appeal to kids (and adults, for that matter!) and the explanations are clear and understandable. But truly the best thing about the book is the stencil. It includes many of the common images found on historical Coat of Arms. More importantly, the stencil is made from plastic, so it will withstand many tracings. Many times a stencil included with a book is made of heavy-duty paper or cardstock, but those just don't hold up to repeated use. This stencil is made of see-through green-tinted plastic, so it is easy to see exactly where to place the image you are tracing.

Wonderful educational book
This is a wonderful educational book, where the child can actually create his/her own coat of arms using the stencils in the back. The illustrations are also vibrant and beautiful! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

terrific for small and older children
The wonderful , colorful illustrations inspire children in an easy step by step non-intimidating way. Even the 5th graders at the school I teach art at love this book and so do I.

Good for beginners
Even young budding artists can learn to draw with this simple and colorful book. Easy, step-by-step instruction and vivid crayon and marker illustrations are enticing to young children. This was a great tool for my 6-year-old daughter who loves to draw, as she could easily complete the drawings in the book. I highly recommend this one for beginners! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Easy Art for Anyone
Easy discovery art for everyone, no matter what age. This book has been around for awhile, but the ideas are still classics.

THE book to get for the child artists in your life.
All of Mary Ann Kohl's art books are great, but if you have to start with just one, I would get this one. In fact, if you are teaching art to young children or working with your own child artists at home, this would be an ideal book to start with. Why? It covers all the mediums: drawing, painting, assemblage, printmaking, collage, sculpture and crafts. It contains open-ended projects that are suitable for almost any age. The projects allow children to explore materials and techniques and come up with their own ideas. Each page includes one project and is illustrated with line drawings. Each project is coded to show at a glance how much time/preparation is needed, what age/experience level the project is appropriate for, and so forth. My only complaint is that some of the projects call for the use of liquid starch which I have not been able to find (only spray starch and powder starch) - so I substitute watered down glue, which works. I teach art, am an art school graduate and a parent, and I have quite a few books on this subject, but this is the book I turn to most for ideas.

My favorite art book.
I really like this book. The ideas work every time, and the kids love them all. I don't think you need any other art idea book if you have this one.

You can do all this with crayons, glue and scissors!
There are over 100 ideas in this book for kids to create with no adult models or samples to copy. All you need are the basic art tools like scissors, crayons, glue, flour, salt, paper, tape. Try the Watercolor Salt project, if you want something amazing yet easy to win over any child to art.

Author Comments on Scribble Art
When I was teaching, these were the all-time best ideas that worked every time, with all ages. Art. Kids love it. When there is no expectation about the finished product, kids absolutely thrive in art! These ideas give them a push into paints, chalk, crayon, sculpting, or construction, and off they go. You will be amazed at the depth of joy and learning that takes place. Yes, I admit it, I love this book. Gee, I'm swell. ... Read more