Book Description

All new mandalas and a preface that explains new ways to use andenjoy mandalas for fun and stress reduction. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Engaging the Center
I purchased the whole series and look forward to coloring or painting them all. They are deeply engaging, neither too simple nor too complex; calling me into a calm center where hope and healing not only feel possible but just seem to happen. A very thoughtful and creative bonus from the author that I've not seen in other Mandala books is the wide perforated margin at the center binding in every book so you can actually remove and display your favorite mandalas afterwards. This rare feature also makes it especially friendly to those of us who are left-handers!!!

Everyone's Mandala Coloring Book Series
Author, artist, transpersonal psychotherapist and business person all describe what Monique Mandali is, but do not tell you who she is. I've been privileged to meet Monique and I know that she is a seeker traveling her path. Her walking stick is her love for all, especially children. Ms. Mandali offers a series of four coloring books for children and adults. There are three different delights in the original Everyone's Mandala Coloring Book series, each consisting of 22 designs. While the original three books in the series contain designs by the author, the latest (and perhaps greatest) has 25 peace mandalas from children all around the world. The Peace Mandala Coloring Book is very special because the mandalas are designed by children unencumbered by the pressure of adult living. Further, they bring a variety of spiritual as well as geographical cultures to bear.

Monique Mandali has given us something special. Not only do we find drawings to color that can aid in health and serenity...Everyone's Mandala Coloring Book Series is additionally special because they represent the best part of Monique Mandali, her love!

Wonderfully centering activity and a great gift!
Volume 2 of Everyone's Mandala Coloring Book has given me even more opportunities to share this wonderful, relaxing experience with friends of all ages - and to enjoy this peaceful, centering activity. Kudos to the author and creator!

A classic among mandala coloring books. Wonderful!
Gorgeous designs. I've purchased several copies as gifts for kids as well as older people and am not about to stop buying this wonderful coloring book. Plus I really like the perforated pages for easy removal of the pages. Thanks, Monique! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Katie is the Best
I retuned from London with this book for my 3-year-old neice. She is now 4 and can recite the book word-for-word. It's a wonderful way to get children interested in art!

Mischief in the museum
Katie and her grandmother head to the museum on a rainy day and when grandma sits down to rest, off Katie goes to explore quickly getting into trouble. The rest of this story tells of Katie's attempts to clean up the mess she makes when she attempts to gather sunflower seeds from a Van Gogh painting. Mayhew incorporates visits to multiple post-impressionist painters, including more Van Gogh, Gauguin and Cezanne. My 4 1/2 year old son loves this story and others by Mayhew (Katie and the Impressionists, Katie and the Mona Lisa) I think in part because he can identify with how much trouble Katie causes! However, it all comes out ok in the end, which reassures him and he learns a considerable amount about art in the telling of the story...if not any lessons on museum etiquette! A delightful, engaging book for young kids with beautiful illustrations of post-impressionist masterpieces. This books gets frequently requested at bedtime by my son. I highly recommend it. If you're interested in other authors, my son also likes Laurence Anholt's books about Picasso and Leonardo da Vinci. We have also purchased The First Starry Night, by Joan Shaddox Isom, which is gorgeously illustrated, but for some reason he doesn't like that one as much as others...perhaps it's because Van Gogh leaves the little boy in the story in the end.

A Postimpressionist Experience.....
It's begun to rain, so Katie and her grandma can't finish working in the garden, and decide to go to the museum. As soon as they arrive, Grandma sits down for a little rest, so Katie scampers off to see what interesting and beautiful paintings she can find today. She likes Sunflowers by Vincent Van Gogh, the way the flowers look full of seeds, all dry and crunchy. Katie reaches into the picture to touch them and knocks over the vase, spilling the sunflowers all over the museum floor. Before she can clean up the mess, and put the flowers back into the painting, she hears giggles coming from the next frame, and that's when all the fun begins..... James Mayhew is back, and those who loved Katie And The Mona Lisa and Katie Meets The Impressionists, are in for another wonderful romp through the art museum, this time with the postimpressionists. Follow Katie as she meets and enlists the help of Breton Girls Dancing by Paul Gauguin, chases a dog into Vincent van Gogh's Cafe Terrace At Night, wreaks havoc with Paul Cezanne's Still Life With Apples And Oranges, and steps into Gauguin's Tahitian Pastorals to go wading at the beach. Mr Mayhew's simple and charming text is full of energy, humor, and fun, and complemented by his marvelously creative and engaging artwork. Little art lovers will enjoy all the silly antics in this charming chain-of-events story, as Katie works to finally set everything right again at the end. Perfect for youngsters 4-8, Katie And The Sunflowers includes a short afterword detailing the postimpressionist period, and further information about each of the paintings in the story. This is a picture book that's sure to peak everyone's interest, and send you and your family to the nearest museum for an adventure of your own.

Another Museum Adventure with Katie!
If you enjoyed the other Katie adventure stories by James Mayhew, you will be happy to add this to your collection. Katie takes children on a trip to the Post-Impressionists' section of the neighborhood art museum. There she travels in and out of paintings by Cezanne, Van Gogh, and Gauguin. Everytime my niece sees these Mayhew books she wants to know when we are going back to our city's art museum. A recommended book for any library. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

One of the best art books for children( older children too)
This book has so many terrific, easy to follow, and imaginative ideas. The eye popping illustrations help as a visual aid to see what the end result may look like.I use many of the ideas for teaching middle school students as well as elementary. A must have for any art teacher.

Wonderful Resource!
Like all the Usborne books, this book is a great tool for learning. As an elementary teacher, I bought this book just to have as a handy reference. I have also used it with my kids at home, and it is everything I learned in a semester of college art class all rolled up into this handy children's book. With all my experience with Usborne books, I just can't get enough of them. For more information on Usborne books, visit ...

must have for elementary teachers, parents and creative kids
This colorful art book, is full of great ideas for elementary aged children. The projects are easy to read and recreate. The color images are inviting. The art images serve as inspriation for young artists. As an elementary teacher I plan to use this book full of easy and creative art ideas as my school years art curriculum. I am so excited to have such a wonderful children's art resource book. ... Read more

Book Description

With narratives that will entertain art lovers of all ages, these two new board books are a fun way to introduce young children to fine art. The sleepy trees, golden haystacks, and juicy fruits of In the Garden with Van Gogh will delight little ones. And they’ll love spending A Magical Day with Matisse in a world full of music, color, bobbing sailboats, and tickled toes. Playful rhyming texts accompany the artists’ timeless paintings in these little masterpieces. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Wonderfu!
This is a beautiful book. My 9 month old enjoys the rhymes and pictures. This is a great book to introduce children (even infants) to the arts!

A wonderful book
This is a great book to introduce children to the paintings of Henri Matisse. Best of all the rhyming text captures a childs attention and helps with language development. As an art teacher and a soon to be mother, this book is on the top of my list.

cute -- it works!
Of course, you want to do these stretches in privacy and not by the copier or in the elevator depicts! But it is good to know what to do to get rid of that "hunched-over" look and feeling so many of us start to take on about midday. And you need a calendar anyway (particularly if you are not a Palm-pilot type, like me) so why not one that helps you take care of your mental and physical health? ... Read more

Book Description

In his most ground-breaking book since The Best Of Times (Fall 2002), Greg Tang underscores the importance of four basic rules in problem-solving. Keeping an open mind, looking for unusual number combinations, using multiple skills (like subtracting to add) and looking for patterns, will guarantee any child success in math. In Math- Terpieces, Tang continues to challenge kids with his innovative approach to math, and uses art history to expand his vision for creative problem-solving. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Math and Art - What A Great Combo!
I love this book and have shared it with colleagues! What a great idea to combine math and art, and what a great way to tackle problem solving which is not always a favourite with kids! For teachers, it helps us cover two subject areas at the same time which we greatly appreciate. When I saw the cover of this book, I was instantly intrigued. I liked the fact that it's suitable for all age groups -- older students may appreciate the art history aspect more, but the rhymes appeal to all ages. The illustrations jump out, are appealing and make math more interesting. When I showed this book to some of my students, one instantly said that it was "neat" because everyone came up with a different way of getting the answer yet everyone was right, to which I responded with a delighted smile!

Wonderful math/art connection
Bravo, Greg Tang has done it once again! This wonderful book is full of authentic masterpieces which Tang recreates to get us looking at the art in a "math kind of way!" This book is super for all elementary levels, kindergarten through grade five. The focus is on addition, and the many ways we can group numbers to get to a given sum. We love it! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Good simulated art of other cultures
This is another excellent art book in the "A Williamson Kids Can! Book" series. I have several in the series, all of which have provided me many ideas for my students' art projects. I have used this particular book least however, because the projects are more complicated than the other books, and require more adult intervention, especially with younger children. It's advertised as for ages 4-8, but for children to work more independently, I recommend most projects as suitable for ages 7-13.

Materials include paper, aluminum foil, yarn, salt dough, yarn, popsicle sticks, mud, paper plates, papier mache. There are recipes included for the papier mache and salt dough. The projects represent the following cultures: Native American, Latin American, African, Indian, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Thai and Vietnamese. None are very authentic, but are good simulations of arts from these cultures, and can enhance cultural studies, or be done just for fun. One project I have returned to several times because of it's ease to do, and because of its attractive artistic results is the Guatemalan Wild Cat.

Great Crafts, Great Exposure to Other Cultures
This is a wonderful book with a range of easy to more complicated crafts for children from 4-8. We have done a number of the projects in here and not only do my children enjoy them, but they get some exposure to cultures outside of their own. There are suggestions for changing the art projects to incorporate more creative impulses as well. It's the one craft book I keep returning to because the ideas are so interesting. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Young adults (and even older ones!) will love this book
This book is a visual feast and a joy to browse; the graphic design captures the energy of the Harlem Renaissance. It's like a scrapbook jammed with "rent party" tickets, dinner programs, book covers, letters, playbills, song lyrics and more. There is something here to capture the interest of even reluctant readers.

But the text also shines. The story of how and why Harlem came to be is told clearly and without mincing words: we learn the glorious achievements in art, music, theater, literature and just plain survival, but we also learn of the racism haunting the era, and the infighting within the Black community itself. I think readers will appreciate this honest, realistic approach, which brings the era to life.

By the way, given the graphic beauty of this book, the price is a steal! ... Read more

Book Description

While she's in the Metropolitan Museum with her grandmother, a little girl leaves her prized yellow balloon tied to a railing outside. But its string becomes untied, and the balloon embarks on an uproarious journey through New York City. With an ever-increasing cast of wacky urban characters in tow, it soars past a host of landmarks. Eighteen famous paintings and sculptures are reproduced in this delightful, wordless book that explores the magical relationship between art and life.

Awards:

An ALA Notable Book
An American Bookseller Pick of the Lists
New York Public Library "100 Titles for Reading and Sharing"
A Child Study Children's Book Committee Children's Book of the Year ... Read more

Reviews (10)

A must for all who love New York.
This is one of my favorite books of all time. It captures the spirit of New York while showcasing numerous works of art from the Metropolitan Museum in the city. Juxtaposed together, children will love the fun drawings and adults will appreciate the cleverness contained in each page. I have bought this book as gifts for friends, and also bought two copies for myself. One sits proudly on my shelf, and I have matted and framed some of my favorite pages from the other copy to hang on my wall. If you love New York, art, and/or wonderful children's books you must discover this book for yourself.

Teachers will love this wordless book.
Wordless picture books have always held an honored place in the hearts (and lesson plans) of all teachers who promote a love of reading. YOU CAN'T TAKE A BALLOON INTO THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM takes that tradition to new heights with its exquisite detail, subtle parallel events, humor and excitement. It has all the elements of story: setting, lively characterization, the conflict and the chase...not to mention a most satisfying ending! But beyond all these delights, teachers of children of all ages will be drawn to this book for its potential to lead young minds on a quest for further information in many areas: art, art history, cultural tradition. It will find its place in creative writing lessons and in lessons about cultural history. And it will inevitably fix the images of a great museum in the minds of "readers," many of whom will find their way to The Met to discover these visual treasures in "real life." --Ann P. Kaganoff, PhD, Certified Educational Therapist; President, Association of Educational Therapists

you can't take a balloon into the metropolitan museum
So much fun! We love it as much as our daughter does. Wonderful illustrations.

NO WORDS TO EXPRESS OUR LAUGHTER !
What a wonderful READ ALOUD book -- with all the words supplied by you & you & you! Children love to help tell the story, and their eyes pick out all the jokey & fast-moving characters.

I can hardly wait for a tale of Chicago's Art Institute by the Preiss sisters who burst with imagination & talent. Tripping to the museum is shown to be the treat it truly can be, and this book makes a wonderful gift for a child or grown friend.

The guard at the museum is shown in all his quirkiness, with a comparison of him and the 3-headed BRAHMA from India. I love the diversity of hair-dos & clothes, and the hat plume which shields the body of the Greek PERSEUS (from Attorney General Ashcroft's notice?)! I also enjoyed the intertwined ice skaters compared to Degas' painting: SPANISH DANCE.

I collect book dedications; the one in this book is quite fitting. Catch up with the balloon and ENJOY!

MY GIRLS LOVE IT! BUY THIS BOOK!
I read my girls two books every night. We have a reasonably sized collection but let's face it, some children's books just don't stand up to repitition. When my oldest (5) goes to pick out a book from the shelf I get nervous -- if she picks out the fairy tale book I glaze over. You Can't Take a Baloon into the Metropolitan Museum is one of the books you just look forward to reading with your children. It's engaging, we see new things in it all the time, and it even gets them excited about art!! What's not to love?! We're waiting for more from Ms. Preiss-Weitzman! ... Read more

Book Description

From prehistoric cave paintings to the Mona Lisa, from Nefertiti to Andy Warhol's Big Campbell's Soup Can 19¢, this book pairs full-color reproductions of 50 of the world's most celebrated masterpieces with brief, kid-accessible stories about how they were made, who made them and where they fit in the fascinating history of art. Featuring art from Europe, Africa, Asia, and America, organized chronologically, and including timelines and a glossary of art terms, this book is a wonderful overview of art and culture through the ages. ... Read more

Book Description

COME LOOK WITH ME: Enjoying Landscape Art with Children is the second volume in the COME LOOK WITH ME series of interactive art books from Lickle Publishing.Each book in the series introduces children to twelve magnificent works of art.More importantly, they offer a whole new way of encountering any work of art, one that engages the imagination as much as the eye.

Well suited for both individual and classroom use, Enjoying Landscape Art with Children pairs quality art reproductions with thought-provoking questions, encouraging children to learn through visual exploration and interaction.Thoughtful text introduces the world and work of the artist, making the most of a child’s natural curiosity.

Children are asked to imagine themselves in the depicted work of art: to feel the winter child of Pieter Bruegel’s Hunters in the Snow or be in the jungle stillness of Henri Rousseau’s The Repast of the Lion.

Drawing from a wide-ranging selection of 20th century works of art, children explore the artwork, invited to pantomime the boldly swirling brush strokes of Vincent van Gogh’s The Starry Night or cover a figure in the foreground of George Innes’s Lackawanna Valley and consider how the painting would look without it.

Engaging and interactive for both children and adults, Lickle Publishing’s COME LOOK WITH ME series celebrated what Mrs. Blizzard called the "pleasure of shared experience." ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Science made EASY!
This book is simply great. I bought several of Jean Potter's other books so when I found her name on line, I decided to buy this one. It is everything I thougt it would be and MORE! I love art, but never thought the two mixed. This is a book for every kid, teacher and parent!

I never realized how beautiful science can be.
I had never really thought how beautiful and mysterious and colorful and delightful science could be. This book inspires me, a person who has never really liked science all that much. Now I do! And I will pass that on to my kids when we do the Chromatography Art Experiment and separate colors on absorbant paper. Can't wait!

Wonderful way to integrate science and art!
What a wonderful and unique approach to science education! This book is jammed full of one-page "art experiments." The key is to use art projects to learn some science principles. Among many of the ideas to learn are dissolving, symmetry, reflecting light, gravity and friction. The only drawback is that the book could benefit from an introduction on the inquiry-based approach to learning...From The Science Spiders(TM) Newsletter.

A great resource book for preschool teachers
Like all of Mary Ann Kohl's books, this one is easily readable, with 1 activity listed per page, including pictures of the activity. It provides a reminder that science doesn't only happen at the science table! I often make my student interns choose an activity from this book (or MathArts)as the activities are open ended, process-oriented, and explained step by step. A great resource. ... Read more

Book Description

With narratives that will entertain art lovers of all ages, these two new board books are a fun way to introduce young children to fine art. The sleepy trees, golden haystacks, and juicy fruits of In the Garden with Van Gogh will delight little ones. And they’ll love spending A Magical Day with Matisse in a world full of music, color, bobbing sailboats, and tickled toes. Playful rhyming texts accompany the artists’ timeless paintings in these little masterpieces. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Great pics /cool rhymes
My little son loves this book...the authors have successfully chosen pictures and written wonderful poems for each picture that tell a story throughout the book. I find the poems great because they aren't the usual baby drivel and the meter of them is soft and lilting...perfect for bedtime! We also bought the matisse story (the van gogh is a little bit better) but both are great...looking for more!

Great Kid's Book
The author's have taken Van Gough's best and put together a rhyming book about the garden. The rhyme isn't easy but the cardboard backing and the bright photos are perfect for a toddler/new-born. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

From genius springs both beauty and kindness
I have introduced a number of children's art story books to my 3 year old daugher and 4 1/2 year old son. This book is a particular favorite of my son. I think he finds intriguing the notion of a very shy girl getting attention by a famous person, growing in confidence in her own abilities, and then realizing a dream of her own. He is very attentive to the details in the book and points out that Picasso wears house slippers and keeps all sorts of odd things in his studio. My son particularly likes the idea of Picasso grubbing around in a rubbish bin to create art, which Anholt illustrates with various Picasso sculptures including one of a bull's head, a metal bike seat and handlebars for horns. The evolution of Picasso's work is beautifully told from a classical (realistic) pencil sketch of the girl with a ponytail (Sylvette) in profile to Picasso's final sculpture of Sylvette in found metal objects. A tenderly told tale of a girl's coming of age and an aging artist's genius mixed with kindness.

Great story and pictures
This is a wonderful book that we've read to our children for years. The fact that there is a true story behind the book makes it even more interesting for the adults who have been doing the reading. This book has particularly captivated our older boy. As we read and re-read the book to him, it was fascinating to watch as his attention shifted from simply listening to the story to observing how Picasso changed his representation of Sylvette over time -- and his questions about the art captured that change in perception. Together with the Classical Kids CDs, this series by Anholt has been one of the more valuable ways that we have introduced classical Western culture to our children.

The 2,000th way of saying I love this book!
I read Picasso and the Girl with a Ponytail. I liked how the author put real pictures of Picasso's art work in the book. At the end of the book, I liked how the author put some more real information about Picasso and Sylvette and put a picture of Picasso painting Sylvette.

great read aloud for younger children
I love this series for introducing young children to art history. We read this book aloud to our young patrons and a follow-up with an art activity based on Picasso's work.

A book encouraging self asteem and art awareness
This book not only introduced the art of Pablo Picasso, but also tells a story of a young girl and her growing self esteem. As an educator, I found that this book captivated the children. The illustrations are beautiful. This book has an underlying message of courage and expression. A good book for all ages. ... Read more

Book Description

Grab your pencil.Pick up some paper.And get ready to tdraw the coolest, most action-packed Pokemon art ever.Catch step-by-step secret tips on drawing your favorite Pokemon, like Pikachu, Togepi, Chikorita, Meowth, Pichu, Houndour, Lugia, Cyndaquil, and more!Plus, draw bonus poses of Pokemon in action, and create your own battle scenes!You'll be a Pokemon drawing-Master in no time! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

They don't teach you anything!
I'm a big fan of pokemon and I really wanted to learn how to draw a Mew. This book doesn't teach you anything. They just show you a picture of Meowth and say draw it. They don't even give you the right steps. And you can only learn to draw about fifteen pokemon. Compare that to all the 386 other pokemon that people want to draw. Plus they don't show you how to draw Mew. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Picture Pie 2
I keep having to order copies of this book! My grandchildren enjoy it so much that I end up sending my current copy home with one them. The many animal pictures keep them busy for hours. Now that they all have a copy I can order one to use in my classroom. The clear directions for preparing materials present excellent oportunities for me to teach fractions. The sequenced step-by-step pictures allow for exact duplication, but munipulation of the pieces encourages creativity. The original PICTURE PIE is good too, but I found this book to be more popular with the little people.

We loved it, but...
Within minites of receiving this book, my son(6)was cutting out shapes & gluing them together.... with enthusiasm! I always thought all kids love art, but it took this book to get my son interested. The only reason it didn't get 5 stars is the book binding was very poor. The binding (very loosely with only 4 strings) was falling apart after only one use. This is a book for kids, but I was the one using the stencils (I drew the shapes & kids cut them out). I shudder to think what shape the book would be in if I had turned them loose on it! Also, the book would probably hold up better if the stencil detatched from the book (a little pocket for storage in the flap would have been a good idea).

My kids LOVE this book!
I bought this book a few weeks ago and have really ejoyed it. I just cut out a lot of the shapes, grab a couple of glue sticks, get my kids and they have hours of fun. The shapes and directions make it so easy for my kids (ages 4 & 6) to be successful in their art endevors. This is a good book to have in your collection if you work with kids at school, in your church or just have a child/children in your home.

A Teacher Who Loves This Book!
Picture Pie 2 is a wonderful book that is fun for children and adults. While children make incredibly bright, fun and professional looking animals (bears, butterflies, cats, birds etc.) out of construction paper, they are learning all about fractions and geometry. Simply a must for every home and classroom.

Great for Scrapbookers
If you're a scrapbooker wondering how to use your circle cutter this is the book for you! There are so many great projects in this book that can easily be adapted to use in scrapbooks...how about the animals for a day at the zoo page, or the train for Christmas or baby pictures? The bugs and flowers are great for spring and summer layouts. You can use the stencils that come with the book, but I like the results I get with the circle cutter better. Great for kids, too. Overall, I love this book and highly recommend it! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A basic introduction to the life and art of Michelagnelo
I have read enough volumes in Mike Venezia's "Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists" series to know that the best volumes are those that combine biography with elementary art appreciation. Unfortunately, in this volume on Michelangelo the emphasis is almost entirely on the former. This might have something to do with the fact that the subject this time around was both a painter and a sculptor (not to mention architect), but for the most part Venezia labels these statues and paintings as great art without giving us an idea of how Michelangelo worked his magic (the exception that proves the point is when he talks about how the sculptor left chisel marks to create an effect when viewed from a distance).

Several of Michelangelo's most famous statues (David, Moses, the Pieta, etc.) are shown as is the entire ceiling of the Sistine Chapel (along with some closer views). Those who have seen the film "The Agony and the Ecstasy" will love Venezia's cartoon reflecting the tensions between the artist and Pope Julius II. Young readers will have to look elsewhere to find out more about the technique of Michelangelo (e.g., how he was different from his contemporaries in that he worked from the front of a piece of marble on a statue rather than attacking it from all sides), but this book will certainly introduce him to the statues and paintings that made him famous. Note: although Venezia talks about the restoration of the paintings in the Sistine Chapel, the photographs are taken prior to that monumental accomplishment.

The young have a grand time with Michelangelo's grand scale
"One of the things that made Michelangelo such a great artist was his ability to give a special energy and strength to the people he painted and sculpted," p.29

The young reader will learn about Michelangelo's beginnings in a city near Florence, the brief time he spent as a baby with a family of stonecutters, his years of study at the workshop of Ghirlandaio, his years under the patronage of Lorenzo de' Medici and his years working for Pope Julius II.

Michelangelo did things on a grand scale. His "David" of Goliath fame is 16 ft., 10 in. in height and took 2.5 years to complete. His "Ceiling of the Sistine Chapel" is 5800 sq. ft. in area and took 4 years to complete. The young when doing an art piece are frequently never able to complete it within the allotted time, regardless of the length of the allotted time. It seems there is a reluctance on the young's part to feel it is complete, because it seems there is always some additional work required. They share Michelangelo's art ethic and will appreciate his dedication.

My favorite sculpture in the book is Michelangelo's "Pieta," sculpted in 1498-1499. There is both an expressed fragility to Jesus' body and an overwhelming gentle strength in Mary's holding of him. It gives testimony to Michelangelo's complete oneness with the roughness and hardness of marble. The marble was putty in his hands.

Venezia's illustrations are humorous. His narrative is delightfully entertaining. His approach brings the artist within reach of the young. His portrayal of Pope Julius II in the Sistine Chapel offering unsolicited comments on Michelangelo's work jokingly brings to the fore the conflict that existed between the two.

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 11th 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 found it easy to relate to Michelangelo's painting the Sistine Chapel ...".

The price of the book is well worth paying. The book contains the following: Michelangelo's sculptures (5), chapel ceiling fresco (1), chapel wall fresco (1), marble relief (1), dome from building plan (1), and sculptures unfinished (2), Venezia's illustrations (7), Others' sculptures (2), frescoes (2) and gilt bronze panel (1).

Spring board to introduce classic artists
A book intended for ages 4-10, the book attempts to introduce the artist and his paintings. A very dry attempt at that, but it is a great spring board to start. A very simple book with cartoons to atract young readers. Samples paints with breif explainations of each work. I have used this book only as an introduction. I do follow up with more books that give a deep explaination. This book is an inexpesive way for children to experience various paintings and engage their natural curiosity to investigate further. To introduce the artists and his works of art this is an average book for the young. ... Read more

Book Description

Following exciting new developments in the XMen universe, this revised edition of Ultimate XMen includes the best of the two feature films and the animated television series. Watch the evolution of the XMen superheroes from their conception in the 1960s to what they are today. Each chapter focuses on a different decade in XMen history, revealing new characters and their powers, the major stories and their settings. ... Read more

Reviews (32)

Outstanding book for the money
This book is a must for anyone who ever read the X-men and saw the movie an wanted to learn more about the characters and history. True...it does have everything a die hard X-men ( Comic book) would want, but covers enough the story line and characters that it will not confuse the newer reader.

I'm sure the author and publisher struggled with the fact that they wanted a complete history of the X-men but also wanted the book to be affordable for the average consumer.

Yes, I fan of the X-men would pay $50-100 for a complete history, but would a young child? Would you Mom and Dad fork over $50 dollars when you were a kid for a comic book based book?

They also made the book very user friendly for people of all ages. The children in my life will be fasinated with the images in the book and its is my hope that this will prompt them to attempt to read the book.

I think they made a great comprise and created a Must have book for any X-men fan.

Not everything if you are a fan.
If you like nice big pictures without going to the full details of the x-men, this book is for you. If you are a long time fan, I would recommend get the previous edition, it still includes the annoying "behind the scenes" of the first movie (as if there were not enough DVD's with such feature) but includes more about the characters of the comics.. This updated edition includes just a few more pages but, some mutants don't appear or are not fully well described as in the previous edition, which you can still get here in Amazon. It's a nice book indeed, the cover and the quality of the paper and great illustrations, but they really need to get in touch with the fans to meet their needs. There is the need of a REAL X-men guide to all the characters, organized alphabetically prefferably.

Incompetence
I picked up the original edition of this book because the "updated" version isn't updated at all and actually contains less information. Anyway, it ended up not mattering since both versions are crap. Like others have mentioned, there are all sorts of problems with the poor layout and incorrect information in this book. In addition to that, most of the art is pretty bad, and there are tons of omissions that kinda defeat the purpose of an "Ultimate guide" (and are not corrected in the "updated" version). The book is slim. The Updated verion is only 8 pages longer (it's not 192 pages as listed here, it's 184 pages.) and those pages are dedicated to the new X-Men movie and lame stuff like X-Statix (which no one likes and doesn't sell, not that that matters to those geniuses at Marvel). To make things worse, each profile of X-Men characters featured in the movies contains a sidebar giving a history of the MOVIE version of that character! That's a complete waste of space and goes against the continuity of the X-Men mythos for a cheap commercial (when you can already buy books and endless DVDs with info on the movies). I can see the feature on the movies at the end of the book, but to interrupt profiles which were (way) too small to begin with for even more advertisements for the movie was too much and ruined this book. Another wasted opportunity, another failure for DK. You guys - and the current powers that be at Marvel - are utterly incompetent and clearly couldn't care any less about the fans. The best guide so far has been the Spider-Man one, which had major problems of its own, but stuck to the COMIC BOOK continuity, not a bunch of stuff about the movies.

great for the X-fans
There isn't a whole lot to say about this book. It's an 'encyclopedia' of the X-Men. It covers them and their history pretty well and also delves into some of the alternate X-Men. If you are an X-Fan, I'd definitely get this book, otherwise, go to something else.

Awesome Book on the History of X-Men
This book and the series gives good in depeth look at the X-Men and all its characters, friends, enemies, homes, and everything else. Anything you wanted to know of the X-Men. Hopefully they'll make more books like these. ... Read more