PICASSO LION

This debut picture book, jointly written and illustrated by Lee and young poet Kim, a mother and daughter team, explores the notion of creative play while riffing on the works of Pablo Picasso.

“Have you ever made yummy flower soup in your pretend kitchen?” the authors ask. Their illustration is rendered in the style of a Korean ink drawing and includes (by way of collage) a photo of flower soup. While the composition mirrors Picasso’s Three Women at the Spring (to which readers are directed via hyperlink), the modified picture is far more vibrant and features a red-maned lion-woman. Such is the pattern of this collection: colorful, creative adaptations of Picasso’s work, thematically linked by lion imagery. The activities are presented as alternatives to TV and computer games. The question “Have you ever hiked and collected acorns, pine cones, and nuts?” accompanies a bright take on Bather With Sand Shovel. “Have you ever built cool houses with colorful blocks?” captions a joyous pastel piece referencing Picasso’s more dour cubist painting Houses on the Hill. The authors favor interpretations as happy and upbeat as Picasso’s originals were somber and confronting. The text doesn’t tell a story; instead, it describes the visual content of each page. The book’s unique, lively art will entrance young and adult readers alike, and researching the Picasso originals can provide more edutainment for all. (The tonal difference between the smiling lion on the front cover and Picasso’s The Weeping Woman is particularly interesting!) A catalog of techniques and materials affords readers insight into the authors’ artistic methods.

An inventive concept that encourages art and creativity.