Picasso (Masterpieces: Artists and Their Works)

Shelley Swanson Sateren is a Capstone Press author.

Grade 2-4-Even though these introductory titles are aimed at young readers, the texts are too short, and the artistic concepts and terms are oversimplified. The full-color reproductions of the artists' works are well done, and the black-and-white photos of the men at work add interest and immediacy. Yet these strengths cannot compensate for such misguided statements as: "Impressionists did not paint pictures that looked real. Instead, they tried to paint scenes the way they looked at a quick glance" (Monet). This assertion does not at all convey Monet's careful attempts to capture the effect of light on objects. In general, children will be better served by other works when they are older or other approaches for this age, such as True Kelley's Claude Monet: Sunshine and Waterlilies (Grosset & Dunlap, 2001) or Susan Goldman Rubin's The Yellow House (Abrams, 2001).
Robin L. Gibson, Perry County District Library, New Lexington, OH
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