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Best Children's Books of 2012: Books About the Arts (page 2)

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Cover art for MOUSTERPIECE
CHILDREN'S
Released: Aug. 21, 2012
Kirkus Star MOUSTERPIECE
by Jane Breskin Zalben, illustrated by Jane Breskin Zalben
"The joyful clarity of both vision and execution thrills. (notes on 22 artists referenced) (Picture book. 3-7)"
Who needs a cookie? Give a mouse a paintbrush! Read full book review >
Cover art for DRUMMER BOY OF JOHN JOHN
CHILDREN'S
Released: Sept. 1, 2012
Kirkus Star DRUMMER BOY OF JOHN JOHN
by Mark Greenwood, illustrated by Frané Lessac
"A joy to read. Play calypso music and celebrate! (author's note, glossary and pronunciation guide, author's sources) (Picture book/biography. 3-8)"
Winston, a boy in Trinidad, wishes that he could play in a band and win free rotis, the delicious island specialty prepared by the Roti King and presented to the best performers at Carnival. Read full book review >
Cover art for MONSIEUR MARCEAU
CHILDREN'S
Released: Sept. 4, 2012
Kirkus Star MONSIEUR MARCEAU: ACTOR WITHOUT WORDS
by Leda Schubert, illustrated by Gérard DuBois
"An exceptional life; a stunning achievement. (afterword, source notes, further reading) (Picture book biography. 4-10) "
Audiences thrilled to his mesmerizing performances, in which he spoke through his expressive body without uttering a single word. Read full book review >
Cover art for BEAR HAS A STORY TO TELL
CHILDREN'S
Released: Sept. 4, 2012
BEAR HAS A STORY TO TELL
by Philip C. Stead, illustrated by Erin E. Stead
"The Steads' work adopts a folkloric approach to cooperative relationships; the affectionately rendered animals that stand in for humans convey a nurturing respect for child readers. (Picture book. 3-7)"
Within a gentle tale of hibernation and renewal, the Steads' second collaboration (after Caldecott-winning A Sick Day for Amos McGee) explores a second, internal theme: the nature of the storytelling narrative itself. Read full book review >
Cover art for THE QUIET PLACE
CHILDREN'S
Released: Sept. 18, 2012
Kirkus Star THE QUIET PLACE
by Sarah Stewart, illustrated by David Small
"A warm, gentle portrait of an immigrant's isolation and the ways that creativity and a loving family can offer both a safe haven and a bridge. (Picture book. 4-8)"
As in Stewart and Small's previous The Gardener (1997) and The Journey (2001), letters to a loved one become the vehicle for a girl to explore what she sees, feels and comes to understand upon leaving home for the first time. Read full book review >
Cover art for DREAMING UP
CHILDREN'S
Released: Oct. 1, 2012
Kirkus Star DREAMING UP: A CELEBRATION OF BUILDING
by Christy Hale, illustrated by Christy Hale
"This extraordinary new picture book masterfully tackles the complex task of contextualizing seemingly complex architectural concepts within a child's own world of play. (Informational picture book/poetry. 2-8)"
Hale turns her educated eye to modern and contemporary architecture and produces a book that is at once groundbreaking, child-friendly and marvelously inclusive. Read full book review >