5 Minutes for Books — Experiencing Art for Kids

by Jennifer Donovan

Hello Rousseau! and Hello Matisse!, both by Catherine de Duve, allow kids to get to know the artists through historical background, stories, and activities that put the reader into the fun. The reader is asked to draw a landscape in the style of Rousseau, looking closely at his style. The book encourages the reader to experiment with color techniques and shades, and invites the child to respond to write a story in response to one of the paintings.

These thin books would be a great take-along on a trip or a wonderful rainy day activity. I think they would be appropriate for kids interested in art from seven up to twelve.

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Gallery Ghost takes children on a mysterious hunt through the National Gallery in Washington D.C. Readers search the paintings for places where the Gallery Ghosts (other artists) have inserted items into the wrong paintings. This is a fun book and definitely appeals to the mystery-solver in my nine-year-old daughter, and it’s also educational. In order to find the items inserted, you have to refer back to the pages which describe each artist’s style. There is a scorecard at the back of the book where the reader can keep track of the number of times that each specific ghost’s work appears. The ghost who has popped into the most other paintings is the one who will be rewarded by Sarah, the art student who is tracking the changes.

This would be a great book to prepare for a trip to the National Gallery or as a memento to extend the experiences from a previous trip. It would be most appropriate for nine-year-olds and up.

One reader (U.S. shipping addresses only) will win a copy of all three books. Please leave a comment if you are interested in winning and check back here in next week’s column to see if you have won.

The winners of the first three books in the The Lucky Foot Stable Series are #22, Nikki, and #63 Susan Chester.



Email Author    |    Website About Jennifer Donovan

Jennifer Donovan has been a part of the 5 Minutes for Mom team since 2007. She writes product reviews, covers events, and manages the 5 Minutes for Books weekly column and website. She lives in Houston and blogs at Snapshot about life with her family.

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{ 87 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Carrie K. April 21, 2008 at 12:26 am

Ooh, the first comment! These would be great for homeschooling.

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2 Laura April 21, 2008 at 12:40 am

I would love to win these for the children!

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3 Jamie W. April 21, 2008 at 1:18 am

My husband can’t wait to take our girls to D.C. and this would be a great thing to use to get them excited about the trip!

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4 melody is slurping life April 21, 2008 at 1:19 am

As an art-inclined homeschooling mom, please enter me.

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5 Kristen M. April 21, 2008 at 1:20 am

I’d love these. The National Gallery of Art also has an awesome interactive website for kids.
http://www.nga.gov/kids/

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6 Jen April 21, 2008 at 1:23 am

My 9 year old would love these!!

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7 Angie April 21, 2008 at 1:42 am

Oh…these would be perfect for when we start homeschooling next year! We would love these!

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8 Noreen April 21, 2008 at 2:04 am

We would really enjoy these books

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9 marybeth April 21, 2008 at 5:53 am

i would love these books.

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10 Deb April 21, 2008 at 6:13 am

I love to read with the kids. Please include me.

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11 Michelle Pendergrass April 21, 2008 at 7:10 am

Please enter us!

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12 Kathy April 21, 2008 at 8:06 am

We’re homeschoolers too, and I’ve got an artist in the making in my 11 year old son. I’d love to win these. Kathy

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13 Kellyn April 21, 2008 at 8:25 am

My kids would love this one! Thanks

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14 Robyn April 21, 2008 at 8:36 am

I am always looking for good art books for my children! Thanks!

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15 Melanie April 21, 2008 at 8:50 am

Oh, this sounds lovely for my 9 year old budding artist!

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16 Daphne (One Mom in Alabama) April 21, 2008 at 8:53 am

my son would love these, please enter us

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17 Michael April 21, 2008 at 8:54 am

Great contest, count me in! Thanks!

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18 Liz April 21, 2008 at 9:02 am

I love introducing kids to art. These sound perfect. Count me in!

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19 Mama Zen April 21, 2008 at 9:07 am

This sounds like a fabulous book!

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20 Cassidy April 21, 2008 at 9:34 am

These books sound great. My kids would love them. Count me in.

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21 Sandra April 21, 2008 at 9:36 am

Those look like wonderful books!

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22 Michele April 21, 2008 at 9:47 am

Sounds wonderful…count me in!

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23 Poopsy April 21, 2008 at 9:51 am

I love that! And Matisse is so vibrant.

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24 Demetra April 21, 2008 at 9:52 am

Love art and my niece loves books. Way a great way to familiarize her with art! Thanks!

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25 Megret April 21, 2008 at 9:53 am

We have just finished studying about art and artists. This would be perfect! Thanks!

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26 Nodin's Nest April 21, 2008 at 9:58 am

We look at works of the masters together all the time! He would love these!

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27 jenna April 21, 2008 at 10:04 am

I would really enjoy these for teaching my kids – I am artistically challenged.

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28 Nodinsnest April 21, 2008 at 10:06 am

My son would love thes!

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29 Shannon April 21, 2008 at 10:20 am

Count me in!

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30 Deanne S April 21, 2008 at 10:20 am

I love reading to my son. This would be a nice addition to our collection of books.
*****THANKS*****

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31 Becky April 21, 2008 at 10:39 am

Please enter me, thanks!

Becky

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32 Ashley April 21, 2008 at 10:43 am

please enter me!

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33 Sonja April 21, 2008 at 11:04 am

As an artist myself, and 2 budding artist, I jump at anything I can use to help teach the arts to my children… thanks for offering this!!

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34 Vickie Couturier April 21, 2008 at 11:47 am

wow,what a nice gift,please count me in,my kids would love this

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35 Alicia April 21, 2008 at 12:00 pm

These look awesome! I bought Brush Mona Lisa’s Hair to expose my kids to famous artwork, and I would love to have more books on this!

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36 Helen Keeler April 21, 2008 at 12:11 pm

Nice prize! The kids will love this.

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37 Patricia Hill April 21, 2008 at 12:31 pm

Great prize! I would love these for my grandkids!

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38 Belinda Abel April 21, 2008 at 1:14 pm

What a neat way to encourage interest in art, count us in please.

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39 Michelle Rosborough April 21, 2008 at 1:42 pm

My daughter would like this book

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40 Charla April 21, 2008 at 2:00 pm

Count me in!! Thanks

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41 Gina April 21, 2008 at 2:03 pm

We love collecting books!

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42 Kim April 21, 2008 at 2:08 pm

This looks like a wonderful book.

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43 Laura Ch. April 21, 2008 at 3:00 pm

These books may find their way into little hands… but I think the National Gallery ghost hunt sounds fun for me! LOL. I was enthralled with The Da Vinci Code. Thank you for the great giveaway!

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44 Jeni April 21, 2008 at 3:51 pm

These sound great! Thanks!

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45 Bebemiqui April 21, 2008 at 4:02 pm

Great giveaway! Count me in. bebemiqui82(at)yahoo(dot)com

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46 jp26 April 21, 2008 at 4:16 pm

My little artists would love these books!

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47 Kathy Conley April 21, 2008 at 4:19 pm

This is a wonderful prize

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48 Naomi April 21, 2008 at 4:24 pm

These would be a great resource for Roo and Jasper to have.

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49 Cindi April 21, 2008 at 5:39 pm

What a wonderful set of books. I love the premise behind them! Please enter me in your drawing. Thanks,Cindi

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50 Kathy LaFrenier April 21, 2008 at 7:42 pm

My grandkids would really enjoy this prize.

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51 Anita Yancey April 21, 2008 at 8:17 pm

These books sound great. Hope I win.

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52 DARIJAVAN April 21, 2008 at 8:30 pm

These books look great

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53 amy k April 21, 2008 at 8:34 pm

I would love to read these with my lil ones!

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54 Morning Rose April 21, 2008 at 9:09 pm

Please enter me.

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55 Carol Rene' Brown April 21, 2008 at 9:23 pm

What a FANTASTIC Giveaway!!!!
I adore children books plus reading & carefully discussing the illustrations, ideas and story lines is one of my favorite things to do with my 3 year old nephew & 4 year old daughter! (SMILE)….
The ARTS are so very very important!! These 3 books sound GREAT!!! Finding books that INSPIRE Are GRAND!!!!

The Inner Child in all moms, dads, and other family members will have such a Wonder Filled time hunting throught each book with that special child!!!
LOVE to win these!!!!

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56 Ginnie April 22, 2008 at 6:23 am

My granddaughter loves to read. Please enter me. Thanks!

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57 LeeAnn Prescott April 22, 2008 at 8:12 am

my little budding artist would adore these books!

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58 stampedwithgrace April 22, 2008 at 8:52 am

my girls would enjoy reading these :)

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59 LivingforGod April 22, 2008 at 10:39 am

Please count me in. Thanks!

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60 Gina Peters April 22, 2008 at 11:36 am

Please include me, I love these.

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61 Kimbrah April 22, 2008 at 12:36 pm

My kids already love art, so these would be great for us to learn even more! Thanks!

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62 Anita April 22, 2008 at 2:41 pm

These books look great!

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63 Sara April 22, 2008 at 3:29 pm

My girls are a little young (ok way too young) for these but I know some other little girls with upcoming birthdays who would love these books.

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64 susan April 22, 2008 at 3:45 pm

Here is a family favorite around our house:

I Spy: An Alphabet in Art by Lucy Micklethwait (Author)
http://www.harpercollins.com/authors/17735/Lucy_Micklethwait/index.aspx

At the MOMA:
I Spy Shapes in Art
By Lucy Micklethwait
http://www.momastore.org/museum/moma/ProductDisplay_I%20spy%20shapes%20in%20art_10451_10001_46025

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65 Jennifer C. April 22, 2008 at 5:03 pm

I think these would be a fantastic addition to our home library! Thanks!

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66 holly April 22, 2008 at 6:44 pm

My kids would love these books! We want to win!!

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67 Michelle April 22, 2008 at 7:54 pm

I would love to win these for our home library. I have been trying to collect a few art history books for my kids.

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68 Tamara Cosby April 22, 2008 at 9:13 pm

Just finished an art class for educators and we studied Matisse, I love the idea of these books! Would love to win!!! Thank yoU!!!!

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69 Valerie April 23, 2008 at 2:55 am

I’ve been looking for an art book like that forever! I hope I win!

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70 Samantha Pruitt April 23, 2008 at 4:23 am

this sounds so great!

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71 Nissa April 23, 2008 at 10:30 am

My 12 year old loves art- this would be perfect for him!

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72 Holly April 23, 2008 at 12:45 pm

My boy’s would love to read these!

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73 C Duran April 23, 2008 at 1:38 pm

They look like great books!

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74 John Z April 23, 2008 at 1:42 pm

Like the books though probably a little young for them. Easy to put away and save.

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75 Jennifer W April 24, 2008 at 12:12 am

My daughter would LOVE thse books!

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76 Janna April 24, 2008 at 2:19 am

These would be great for our homeschool library, please enter us…

Janna
http://www.cornhuskeracademy.blogspot.com

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77 Sylvia Porter April 24, 2008 at 6:14 am

this sounds great!

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78 ashley April 24, 2008 at 11:10 am

would love these books.

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79 Angela April 24, 2008 at 11:28 am

These sound wonderful, count me in!

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80 Janna April 24, 2008 at 5:47 pm

I would love to be entered to win these books!

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81 Pamela White April 25, 2008 at 11:35 am

What a great way to introduce art and critical thinking.

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82 Kristie Noguera April 25, 2008 at 2:20 pm

Great books.

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83 MoneyMom April 25, 2008 at 10:15 pm

Great website ..

If any of you Mom’s needs some tips on making a little extra cash … great ideas below.

http://freedollars.wordpress.com/

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84 Audrey b April 27, 2008 at 12:10 am

what wonderful books, please enter me.

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85 kathy pease April 27, 2008 at 7:33 pm

please enter me :)

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86 Caryn Bailey April 30, 2008 at 2:29 am

Sounds awesome!

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87 Hannah May 2, 2008 at 11:40 pm

pick # 87 (me) :P !

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