Another splendid addition to Micklethwait’s I Spy series that seeks to introduce young readers to fine art. A foreword cheerily instructs adults in the use of the work: “Look for the shape I have chosen . . . Talk about them, count them, compare them. . . . Some children might like to make up a story. . . . Anything goes. Just one of these activities allows enough time for a picture to be filed away in a child’s memory, and that is what this book is all about.” With that liberating encouragement, the readers are then let loose to find a square in a Kandinsky, an oval in a Klee, a cone in a Magritte. All but one piece (a Homer) is from the 20th century, the geometric focus lending itself beautifully to an introduction to some of the more challenging schools of modern art. Each painting or drawing richly rewards the examination prompted by the simple instruction to “spy”; children—and adults—who take the author up on her invitation will come away with a deeper appreciation for art. Includes list of works and where they might be found. (Picture book/nonfiction. 3+)
