Tag Archives: Art

Apr11

Tap! Tap! Tap! – Herve Tullet

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Allen & Unwin

May 2023

ISBN:9781761180231

RRP: $36.75

Hervé Tullet is absolutely one of my favourite creators for little peeps, and I have many fond memories of sharing Mix it Up and Press Here with The Kid when she was younger. [Fun fact: did you know that Press Here was on the NYT bestseller list for over 4 years!] I have used many of his books with Prep children and especially use The Game of Light and The Game in the Dark when Year 1 have done the topic of Night & Day. It’s been a while since a new one has come our way although I keep myself entertained by following his socials (always so fun!) and children will have just as much pleasure in this one as the older titles.

Once again the reader is invited into the text, using their hand as a ‘dancer’ who swoops and swirls, leaps and bounds and zooms wildly at times but gracefully at others. All in all, it is just another one of Hervé’s deceptively simple books which is a masterpiece in interactive play. Starting in a gentle way but increasing in complex and intricate movements, with some superb language – ‘curlicues’!!! – readers will once again beg to read it over and over. And, of course, the possibilities for follow up art work are endless.

Highly recommended for your littlest readers from around 3 years upwards -it is just pure joy! Have fun!!

Just
Just saying!!
Nov21

The Big Book of Exhibits – Joan-Marie Hargreaves & Marita Bullock. Illustrated by Liz Rowland.

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Hachette

Septemember 2022

Imprint: Lothian Children’s Books

ISBN: 9780734419996

RRP: $24.99

Click to access 9780734419996-teachers-resources.pdf

We absolutely know that kiddos love information books and, certainly in my experience, the quirkier the better really. This marvellous book is described as a ‘cabinet of curiosities’ and indeed it does appear to be exactly that in a written and illustrated form. For example: The Disgusting Food Museum (Sweden), Questionable Medical Devices (Minnesota, USA), Madame Tussaud’s, Banksy art, the Poo Machine (our very own MONA in Tasmania) all is grist for the mill in this panopoly. Of course, there are more pedestrian examples such as the Louvre or the Galileo Museum but it is bound to be the more bizarre by which children will be fascinated.

Museums and private collections, the serious, the playful, the wacky and the wonderful – over 50 exhibitions from around the world and drawn from various time periods. The objects span a wide range of topics which are more than relevant to curriculum including history, natural science, STEAM, medicine, inventions and cultures and the extensive teaching notes will be a huge asset to any teacher, whether clasroom, home or library.

I know that it will find an audience in any setting and with Christmas rapidly approaching, it would make a splendid gift for an inquisitive youngster in your circle. I intend to use it in my relief teaching days as dipping in and out will be perfect for those odd moments in a program to segue from one activity to another.

Highly recommended for readers from around 8 years upwards.

Oct1

Good Night, Ivy Bright – Ben Long/Andrew Plant

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Ford St Publishing

April 2021

RRP: $16.99

ISBN: 9781925804720

Click to access Good-Night-Ivy-Bright-Teachers-Notes.pdf

This is a glorious book with both a joyful rollicking rhyming text from author, Ben Long, and (as always) sublime illustrations from Andrew Plant. On the surface it is a splendid introduction to both colours and colour mixing but it goes much deeper than that. To be honest, I can’t say it better than Ben himself:

What I didn’t realise while I was writing this story was the importance of the moose.
Everyone needs a moose. We all have times when we’re challenged – when we are tired,
troubled, or in tears. And it’s at those times when we need someone to sit down next to us
and be there for us, just like the moose in this story. For some people, the moose might be
their mum. For others it might be their dad, sister, brother, friend, or all of the above.
Similarly, sometimes we need to be the moose for someone else. It’s a good reminder to ask
for help when you need it, and to offer help when it’s needed.

Just imagine using this with your class and investigating all the artistic possibilities but at the same time inviting discussion around when we might need a ‘moose’ in our lives. It would take very little encouragement to generate the most valuable of conversations and giving small humans the reassurances they need, as well as putting into their minds the possibility that they might, in turn, be someone’s ‘moose’.

I just love this and can easily envisage it in either your library session or a classroom setting – especially since there are brilliant teaching notes provided!

Highly recommended for little readers from around five years upwards.

Dec27

The Forever Horse – Stacy Gregg

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Harper Collins Australia

  • October 2020
  • ISBN: 9780008332358
  • ISBN 10: 0008332355
  • Imprint: HarperCollins – GB
  • List Price: 24.99 AUD

Stacy Gregg’s horse stories have constantly been some of the most popular loans in my libraries, mostly primary but I also have several lower secondary girls who just love these books. This new stand-alone novel introduces readers to talented young artist Maisie, who has always loved horses and drawing them. In fact, her teacher finds it very frustrating that all Maisie seems to do is draw horses and calls the girl’s father in for a discussion. Contrary to the teacher’s intention, Maisie’s dad is pretty indignant that his daughter’s talent is perceived as a problem rather than a talent to be nurtured. Taking matters into his own hands he applies on his daughter’s behalf to a prestigious Parisian art school for a term’s scholarship and soon Maisie finds herself in the City of Lights staying with her very kind and welcoming patron.

What seems to be a golden opportunity is soon a terrible disappointment to Maisie when she finds her tutor to be both scornful and supremely critical of her art. She has no idea how she is going to find the heart to finish the scholarship until she discovers in a secret cache the long-lost diary of her patron’s ancestor – the famous horse artist Rose Bonifait. As the separate stories of the two young girls, both passionate about their art and horses, unfolds secrets, tragedies but also hope and warmth are revealed.

Maisie takes her courage and determination from Rose’s history and gradually her artwork finally begins to please her tutor technically but it is her attachment to a horse name Claude that breathes the life and emotion into her painting.

Like her other books, this will appeal to both the ‘horsey’ girls but also the ones who love adventure and mystery stories. Recommended highly for readers from around 8 years upwards.

Feb11

Women Artists A to Z – Melanie LaBarge. Illustrated by Caroline Corrigan

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9781760896317

Penguin Random House Australia

February 2020

ISBN 9783760896357

Imprint: Puffin

RRP $24.99

No matter if you are looking for something biographical and ‘easy’ or as an introduction to outstanding and diverse artists or to supplement your Mighty Girl collection this is a very welcome addition.

These are the women who, in each of their disciplines, have turned the art world around to bring their gender into the forefront. Some names will be known such as Frida Kahlo and Georgia O’Keefe but others like Jaune Quick-to-See Smith and Betye Saar may be new to readers. It’s wonderful to see Australian artist Mirka Mora is included in this stellar array.

Covering painting, sculpture, textiles, drawing and more each double spread features an artist with salient facts and summed up in one word such as ‘D for Dots’ (Yayoi Kusama) and ‘U for Unique’ (Alice Neel).

At the end of the book further biographical details on each artist featured along with intriguing and provocative discussion questions and art prompts make this a superb teaching resource as well as just a pleasurable excursion into the world of these amazingly talented women.

The illustrations in a naïve style are riotously colourful and redolent of each artist’s individuality further providing inspiration for readers.

It may be an ‘ABC’ book but truly it is far more than that and lends itself easily to art classes for all from very young to senior readers.

Highly recommended for inclusion in your collection and very much to be shared with your art faculty.  I’ll bet you’d like your own copy so to celebrate its release I have a give-away for you! Comment on this post and all names (Australia only) will be entered into a random draw!

Jul11

An Artist’s Alphabet – Norman Messenger

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1480326404615

ISBN: 9781406346763
Imprint: Walker Studio
October , 2016
Australian RRP: $29.99
New Zealand RRP: $32.99

 

This is an amazingly beautiful book which unfortunately (with a couple of others, reviews on their way) got waylaid on a shelf under some other more trivial items.

Whether this is a gift or a title for your library collection (either primary or secondary) it will be much appreciated for its beauty and unique creativity.

Messenger, who abandoned the world of ad agencies to become a full time illustrator in 1978, has devised the most magical, magnificent and surreal alphabet book by taking ordinary objects and transforming them into both upper and lower case letters.

It is not so much as an alphabet book that it will be a hit but rather as a delicious dip into surrealism for art lovers of all ages.

Highly recommended for any school library collection.

download (2) Love this one!

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