cover image Child's Book of Art

Child's Book of Art

Lucy Micklethwait. DK Publishing (Dorling Kindersley), $19.99 (64pp) ISBN 978-1-56458-203-4

``It is never too early to introduce children to art,'' Micklethwait declares in her introductory note to parents and teachers. The carefully selected roundup of stunning art collected in this large-format volume--ranging from a detail from an Egyptian tomb painting that dates to 2550 B.C. to David Hockney's Le Plongeur , created in 1978 with paint and molded paper pulp--proves her point easily. Micklethwait wisely includes an abundance of paintings featuring children, action scenes and vibrant colors--all elements guaranteed to snare a youngster's attention. The thematic arrangement of the works of art places them in contexts familiar to kids (family, pets, colors, opposites, work and play), and words or basic phrases accompanying each painting (sisters, in the kitchen, playing in the sand, on the grass) will enable beginning readers to practice their new skills. Also noteworthy are the publisher's trademark exceptionally clean book design and the superb quality of the reproductions. Ages 2-up. (Dec.)