Art Picture Books
Apr 26th, 2006 by lvbirders
Josh and I have enjoyed two new art picture books this
week.
First:
Michelangelo’s Surprise
by Tony Parillo
I wish I had found this gem during the winter months as the story line revolves around a surprise “snowman” that Michelangelo creates for his patron, Piero de’Medici after an an unusually heavy snowfall. The story is actually factual too!
Second:
Rembrandt and Titus: Artist and Son
by Thomas Locker and Madeleine Comora
If you have never read a book by Thomas Locker you are in for a treat! The illustrations he does for his books are actually paintings so beautiful they will take your breathe away. In this book the illustrations he paints are based on Rembrandt’s own paintings. The story line revolves around Titus (Rembrandt’s son) telling the story of his father’s life. Josh and I are inspired to learn more about Rembrandt now as we have not yet studied his works but are familiar with his name and such.
Thanks for the recommendations!
Carrie, Good to have you visit. I LOVE using picture books in ALL areas of our studies even with older children (my son Josh is 12) and like to pass on ones that we have particularly enjoyed. I’d love hearing any of your own recommendations. :)
Nature and living books … I love your web log! I am scribbling down these book recommendations as we speak. I have read that John James Audubon killed many of the birds he used as models. Is this covered in the books you mentioned? I think my little ones would be upset by this. :-)
MOMOF3FEISTYKIDS,
Thanks so much for visiting and your kind comments. Sorry it took so long to get back here. Life gets in the way of blogging sometimes lol. In the book, Painter of Birds, there is a part that does deal with the fact that he “killed birds”. He meets Daniel Boone who shows him how to “bark” - shoot the birds without ruining their feathers. That is what is mentioned. My son is older so issues like this are good discussion. If yours are young you may want to skip that part of the book or skip it altogether until they are older. The book, The Boy Who Drew Birds, does not mention this fact as the story line takes place when he is young man and just starting in his interest in birds. I am sorry to say I don’t remember if Into the Woods deals with this specifically. You might want to browse through yourself before reading just in case. Even at 12, this is one aspect of Audubon that he does not agree with but does see the reasons why he chose to do this (ie he didn’t have binoculars, scopes, cameras etc that we are fortunate to have now and also at that time the world was a much different and more abundant place) and can appreciate the beauty of his paintings that came as a result. He’s also a believer that had Audubon lived in our time he would go about things VERY differently :)