{"id":1703,"date":"2011-02-17T23:40:25","date_gmt":"2011-02-18T03:40:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=1703"},"modified":"2011-02-17T23:40:25","modified_gmt":"2011-02-18T03:40:25","slug":"review-of-art-and-max-by-david-wiesner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=1703","title":{"rendered":"Review of Art and Max, by David Wiesner"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Art & Max<\/em><\/p>\n

by David Wiesner<\/p>\n

Clarion Books (Houghton Mifflin), Boston, 2010. 40 pages.
\nStarred Review<\/p>\n

Three-time Caldecott Medal winner David Wiesner has another stunner here. Art & Max<\/em> reminds me of The Three Pigs<\/em>, because it’s also a meta-book, a book about how books are made. Or at least meta-art, art about art.<\/p>\n

The story takes place in the desert with various desert reptiles. (I won’t attempt to specify which species.) Arthur is a big horny critter who is also an artist, and obviously very pleased with himself. When little Max comes along and wants to paint, he asks Art (Arthur<\/em>) what he should paint.<\/p>\n

When Art says, “You can paint me,” Max takes him literally. That’s when the fun begins.<\/p>\n

Art ends up covered with paint. When the other critters try to fix him, he goes through several different manifestations — created in different art styles. Most catastrophic is when he’s a watercolor and drinks a glass of water — and then becomes a line drawing. Then when he walks away with Max holding his tail — he unravels completely. <\/p>\n

Don’t worry, Max does recreate Art, in a whole new style. <\/p>\n

I would like to share this with children. Probably old enough that they wouldn’t worry about being unravelled! Though I think kids will understand the playful spirit and that these things could only happen in a world where all the characters are made of paint in the first place.<\/p>\n

This book has lots to talk about or just enjoy, and is captivating on many levels.<\/p>\n

It wouldn’t have surprised me if this book had earned David Wiesner a fourth Caldecott Medal, since the art is so innovative and stunning. For me personally, the story didn’t have as much heart as his winners, but it’s still a playful and creative look at what you can do with art.<\/p>\n

Buy from Amazon.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Find this review on Sonderbooks<\/a> at: www.sonderbooks.com\/Picture_Books\/art_and_max.html<\/a><\/p>\n

Disclosure: I am an Amazon Affiliate, and will earn a small percentage if you order a book on Amazon after clicking through from my site.<\/p>\n

Source: This review is based on a library book from the Fairfax County Public Library.<\/p>\n

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