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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.
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.
Hannah says
pick # 87 (me) :P!
Caryn Bailey says
Sounds awesome!
kathy pease says
please enter me 🙂
Audrey b says
what wonderful books, please enter me.
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Kristie Noguera says
Great books.
Pamela White says
What a great way to introduce art and critical thinking.
Janna says
I would love to be entered to win these books!
Angela says
These sound wonderful, count me in!
ashley says
would love these books.
Sylvia Porter says
this sounds great!
Janna says
These would be great for our homeschool library, please enter us…
Janna
http://www.cornhuskeracademy.blogspot.com
Jennifer W says
My daughter would LOVE thse books!
John Z says
Like the books though probably a little young for them. Easy to put away and save.
C Duran says
They look like great books!
Holly says
My boy’s would love to read these!
Nissa says
My 12 year old loves art- this would be perfect for him!
Samantha Pruitt says
this sounds so great!
Valerie says
I’ve been looking for an art book like that forever! I hope I win!
Tamara Cosby says
Just finished an art class for educators and we studied Matisse, I love the idea of these books! Would love to win!!! Thank yoU!!!!
Michelle says
I would love to win these for our home library. I have been trying to collect a few art history books for my kids.
holly says
My kids would love these books! We want to win!!
Jennifer C. says
I think these would be a fantastic addition to our home library! Thanks!
susan says
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
Sara says
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.
Anita says
These books look great!
Kimbrah says
My kids already love art, so these would be great for us to learn even more! Thanks!
Gina Peters says
Please include me, I love these.
LivingforGod says
Please count me in. Thanks!
stampedwithgrace says
my girls would enjoy reading these 🙂
LeeAnn Prescott says
my little budding artist would adore these books!
Ginnie says
My granddaughter loves to read. Please enter me. Thanks!
Carol Rene' Brown says
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!!!!
Morning Rose says
Please enter me.
amy k says
I would love to read these with my lil ones!
DARIJAVAN says
These books look great
Anita Yancey says
These books sound great. Hope I win.
Kathy LaFrenier says
My grandkids would really enjoy this prize.
Cindi says
What a wonderful set of books. I love the premise behind them! Please enter me in your drawing. Thanks,Cindi
Naomi says
These would be a great resource for Roo and Jasper to have.
Kathy Conley says
This is a wonderful prize
jp26 says
My little artists would love these books!
Bebemiqui says
Great giveaway! Count me in. bebemiqui82(at)yahoo(dot)com
Jeni says
These sound great! Thanks!
Laura Ch. says
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!
Kim says
This looks like a wonderful book.
Gina says
We love collecting books!
Charla says
Count me in!! Thanks
Michelle Rosborough says
My daughter would like this book
Belinda Abel says
What a neat way to encourage interest in art, count us in please.
Patricia Hill says
Great prize! I would love these for my grandkids!
Helen Keeler says
Nice prize! The kids will love this.
Alicia says
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!
Vickie Couturier says
wow,what a nice gift,please count me in,my kids would love this
Sonja says
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!!
Ashley says
please enter me!
Becky says
Please enter me, thanks!
Becky
Deanne S says
I love reading to my son. This would be a nice addition to our collection of books.
*****THANKS*****
Shannon says
Count me in!
Nodinsnest says
My son would love thes!
jenna says
I would really enjoy these for teaching my kids – I am artistically challenged.
Nodin's Nest says
We look at works of the masters together all the time! He would love these!
Megret says
We have just finished studying about art and artists. This would be perfect! Thanks!
Demetra says
Love art and my niece loves books. Way a great way to familiarize her with art! Thanks!
Poopsy says
I love that! And Matisse is so vibrant.
Michele says
Sounds wonderful…count me in!
Sandra says
Those look like wonderful books!
Cassidy says
These books sound great. My kids would love them. Count me in.
Mama Zen says
This sounds like a fabulous book!
Liz says
I love introducing kids to art. These sound perfect. Count me in!
Michael says
Great contest, count me in! Thanks!
Daphne (One Mom in Alabama) says
my son would love these, please enter us
Melanie says
Oh, this sounds lovely for my 9 year old budding artist!
Robyn says
I am always looking for good art books for my children! Thanks!
Kellyn says
My kids would love this one! Thanks
Kathy says
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
Michelle Pendergrass says
Please enter us!
Deb says
I love to read with the kids. Please include me.
marybeth says
i would love these books.
Noreen says
We would really enjoy these books
Angie says
Oh…these would be perfect for when we start homeschooling next year! We would love these!
Jen says
My 9 year old would love these!!
Kristen M. says
I’d love these. The National Gallery of Art also has an awesome interactive website for kids.
http://www.nga.gov/kids/
melody is slurping life says
As an art-inclined homeschooling mom, please enter me.
Jamie W. says
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!
Laura says
I would love to win these for the children!
Carrie K. says
Ooh, the first comment! These would be great for homeschooling.