"If da Vinci painted a Dinosaur" from Amy Newbold is the Perfect Book to Introduce Kids to Art History (Review)

Disclosure: I was sent a review copy from the vendor in exchange for an honest review. All views shared are mine and mine alone.


Here is a funny question for you?  Have you ever wondered what it would look like if the famous painter, da Vinci painted a dinosaur?  Well, my girls and I hadn't...that was until we saw the cute new children's book, "If da Dinvi painted a Dinosaur" by Amy Newbold.  Just looking at the cover, made my girls want to dive right into the book, and see what it was about.  And, being fans of dinosaurs, this book was right up their alley.

In addition to the cute cover and title of this book, what also caught my eye was that book was written by Amy Newbold.  I recalled this author, as my girls fell in love with one of her other books last October and recently pulled it out to read again, now that the snow started falling here in the Northeast.  You may recall my review of Amy's previous book, "If Picasso Painted a Snowman"  -- if not, here is my review: https://www.inspiredbysavannah.com/2017/11/if-picasso-painted-snowman-will-inspire.html. 

This new book, featuring da Vinci and dinosaurs is set up in the same fashion as the Picasso and Snowman one - as a way to inspire children to tap into their artist sides while also introducing them to a particular artist's style and works.

In this new book, "If da Vinci painted a Dinosaur" readers are asked how they draw a dinosaur.  And, then from there, they are presented with a variety of ways to capture different dinosaur species in fun, artistic ways. My girls not only enjoyed the cute story, but loved seeing all the different dinosaurs that filled the pages of this book.  And, when they were done reading it, just like they did with Amy Newbold's previous book, they grabbed their sketchbooks and tried to draw their own versions of Mona Lisa if she was a dinosaur, dinosaurs smelling flowers in Mary Cassatt's garden and even Edgar Degas ballerinas if they were ballerinas. 

If your kids love art, or you are looking for a fun book that will spark their creativity and imagination, then you will want to check out this and other books by the author. I am so happy to have stumbled across this new release, and can't wait to add more books by the author to our growing collection.

More about this book: 

"A new kid-friendly tour of art history from the Newbolds  

In this sequel to the tour de force children's art-history picture book If Picasso Painted a Snowman, Amy Newbold conveys nineteen artists' styles in a few deft words, while Greg Newbold's chameleon-like artistry shows us Edgar Degas' dinosaur ballerinas, Cassius Coolidge's dinosaurs playing Go Fish, Hokusai's dinosaurs surfing a giant wave, and dinosaurs smelling flowers in Mary Cassatt's garden; grazing in Grandma Moses' green valley; peeking around Diego Rivera's lilies; tiptoeing through Baishi's inky bamboo; and cavorting, stampeding, or hiding in canvases by Henri Matisse, Andy Warhol, Frida Kahlo, Franz Marc, Harrison Begay, Alma Thomas, Aaron Douglas, Mark Rothko, Lois Mailou Jones, Marguerite Zorach, and Edvard Munch. And, of course, striking a Mona Lisa pose for Leonardo da Vinci.

As in If Picasso Painted a Snowman, our guide for this tour is an engaging hamster who is joined in the final pages by a tiny dino artist. Thumbnail biographies of the artists identify their iconic works, completing this tour of the creative imagination."

Disclosure: I was sent a review copy from the vendor in exchange for an honest review. All views shared are mine and mine alone.

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"If Picasso Painted a Snowman" Will Inspire Kids of All Ages as They Learn About Acclaimed Painters (Review)

Disclosure: I was sent a review copy by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All views shared are mine and mine alone.

 

Buy now for only $17.95

As part of school I incorporate art appreciation for the girls.  This past summer they went to a week-long summer camp at an art museum in CT and had a blast.  They learned about many of the famous painters and tried their hand at creating art based on these artists' famous paintings.  This is one homeschool course that they continue to talk about and ask when they are going back, as they both love art and creating things.

They will not be offering classes like the ones the girls took until next summer, so I have been looking online for programs and books to pick up and share with the girls as part of our weekly art history/appreciation class.  Each month we have been focusing on a different painter and time period.  We look at their art and then using arts and crafts supplies and their imaginations the girls re-create their favorite work from that particular artist, but in their own unique style.  The girls are having a blast learning about about these painters, and I love being able to take the on field trips to art galleries and museums to look at some of their famous art pieces up close.

Recently, I was contacted and asked to take a look "If Picasso Painted a Snowman."  I have to admit when I first read the title, I wasn't sure about the book.  But, then when I visited the website and learned more about the book, I was eager to have a copy sent so that I could share it with the girls.

We received the book a couple of weeks ago, and have already read this book a handful of times.  The girls really enjoy the illustrations and finding the snowman hidden in a few of the illustrations.  But, the best part when I made a copy of the last page, which was a blank canvas, and had them create their own snowman.  I was amazed at how they went from drawing the basic 3 circle snowman to adding more detail and definition to their snowmen.  Savannah opted to have her snowman blend into a winter scene, while Bella's dot upon dot like Georges Seurat felt like it was jumping off the page.

My girls really got into this book, and each and every time they pick it up to read it and admire the illustrations, they usually reach for a piece of paper and draw another snowman, each one looking different.  I have a fridge full of breathtaking snowman that no longer look simple.  Inspired by famous artists, my girls have taken their snowman drawing skills to the next level. :-)

If you have a child who loves to draw, or shows an interest in art or learning about famous painters, then you will want to pick up a copy of "If Picasso Painted a Snowman" and share it with them.  Even though this book is about a snowman as the muse (so to speak), kids of all ages can enjoy this book year round, as it is a great teaching tool about acclaimed painters, and sharing with kids that they are all unique and that their art work is unique to them.  Everyone sees the world differently and that translates to what ends up on a piece of paper or blank canvas.

More about this book:

"Painting a snowman is simple: three circles, black dots for buttons & eyes, and a carrot for a nose. That is, unless you're Salvador Dali, whose flattened snowmen melt in a desert, or Georgia O'Keeffe, whose snowman sports an antlered skull instead of button eyes. Or Roy Lichtenstein, or Pablo Picasso, or Pablita Velarde, or any number of influential and beloved artists. 

IF PICASSO PAINTED A SNOWMAN introduces young readers to many acclaimed painters, but most importantly it shows children that it's okay to be different, and encourages them to embrace their individuality and unique view of the world."

Disclosure: I was sent a review copy by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All views shared are mine and mine alone.

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