Overview
Eleven-year-old Vincent is given a book by his sister that introduces him to the magical world of Henri Rousseau. So begins an investigation into the life and work of this imaginative French artist, whose primitive paintings were never anything less than remarkable.Synopsis
Eleven-year-old Vincent is given a book by his sister that introduces him to the magical world of Henri Rousseau. So begins an investigation into the life and work of this imaginative French artist, whose primitive paintings were never anything less than remarkable.
School Library Journal
Gr 5-9-These three titles investigate aspects of the artists' careers as seen through the eyes of modern preteen characters. Thus, along with pages of specific facts, readers are given lots of fictional conversations and situations. The illustrations are varied: full-color reproductions of paintings, photographs of artists and related scenes, and cartoons. Many of the reproductions are tiny and placed in the wide margins on either side of the text, often with descriptive captions. The frenetic impression created by the volumes' scattershot design makes sequential reading difficult. Nevertheless, there is considerable information about each artist, and an attempt is made to include tidbits about relevant historical events and places as well. The books demand several readings to extract all the material provided; unfortunately, readers may be put off by their confusing organization.-Kenneth Marantz, Art Education Department, Ohio State University, Columbus