HOW ARTISTS SEE ANIMALS

In this revised edition of one book in a series entitled How Artists See, Carroll has selected an eclectic collection of 23 paintings, sculptures, and artifacts by artists ancient and modern from many different cultures.

Each artwork is depicted on one page or a double-page spread, frequently alongside a detail from the larger work. The book presents depictions of animals by varied artists: Andy Warhol, Frida Kahlo, Albrecht Dürer, Kishi Ganku, Robert Bateman, Henri Matisse, Roy Liechtenstein, Alexander Calder, Frank Gehry, John James Audubon, Tamás Galambos, Georgia O’Keeffe, Ana Maria Pacheco, Simon Stålenhag, Audrey Weber, Crisp, Georges De Groot, and Marie Sybilla Merian as well as art from cave paintings in France, a mosaic from Pompeii, an ancient Greek coin, a Chiriquí frog pendant, and a Kuba carved wood crocodile. Carroll’s prose is simple but lively: engaging, questioning, sometimes humorous, often invoking sensory responses. As she remarks in a closing note, “The questions…are open-ended, with no right or wrong answers—they are meant to encourage children to look critically and ask thought-provoking questions of their own.” This book would provide an excellent jumping-off point for a teacher or parent to encourage children to engage with art, to spark creativity, and to build visual-literacy skills. Biographical notes and resources for each artist appear in the backmatter. Companion title How Artists See Families publishes simultaneously.

A great addition to the visual-literacy library for young children.