Asian Art

Children's Literature - Leah Hanson

What do Japanese anime and Buddhist sculptures have in common? They are both part of the rich history of Asian art. In Come Look With Me: Asian Art, readers take a looking journey through China, Tibet, India, Japan, and Korea, exploring the rich colors, interesting shapes, and artistic imagination of these countries' artists. Twelve full-color reproductions of art works including painting, calligraphy, and sculpture are paired side by side with a series of three or four questions to encourage viewers to take a closer look. The questions refer to details in the work, encourage viewers to form opinions about what they see, and invite the use of imagination. Brief biographical and art historical information is also included, but only after the engaging questions, subtly suggesting that the action of looking is of primary importance. An introductory note by the author gives adults suggestions for how best to use this book as a way to connect children with art and have conversations about what they see. Principles taught within these pages are easily transferred to a visit to an art museum. Those unfamiliar with Asian art will find this to be a welcoming introduction; those passionate about the art will see some of the most well-known Asian artists represented. Whether used in an elementary classroom or at home on the couch, this is an excellent interactive art experience for children. Reviewer: Leah Hanson

School Library Journal

Gr 3-7

The book is intended to introduce children to fine art in various Asian countries in an accessible manner, and it succeeds. Following the format of previous titles, Lane presents a dozen full-color reproductions, done in various mediums and representing different time periods, along with background information and discussion starters. The author points out that while viewing art in person is best, this book can be a wonderful tool for one-on-one or small-group usage. The information is interesting and similar to what one might learn on a museum tour. Such questions as, "Where does your eye go first when you look at the painting?" can be addressed to a broad audience. Similar to Joyce Raimondo's "Art Explorers" series (Watson-Guptill), Come Look with Me has enough differences for both sets to have a place on library shelves.-Lisa Glasscock, Columbine Public Library, Littleton, CO

Kirkus Reviews

Lane rounds out this impressive series of a dozen interactive introductions to the fine arts with a wonderfully inclusive and engaging survey of the arts of Asia. A member of the faculty at the prestigious School at Columbia University (NY), she takes readers on a wide-ranging tour of the world's most populous and culturally diverse region through its arts. In a brief journey from the sprightly Manga-inflected work of the Japanese master Murakami to a stunning Korean celadon-glazed porcelain vase at book's end, the text stops along the way to encourage young readers to look carefully at such unique and marvelous objects as Chinese scroll paintings, Indian images of a Bodhisattva, Japanese woodcuts and a contemporary Pakistani scroll painting. Knowledgeable and child-aware, the narrative does not strive to be comprehensive but rather to help children focus their attention and guide them in decoding and familiarizing themselves with these arts. A particularly strong choice for school and public libraries seeking to expand their art sections. (Informational picture book. 7 & up)