 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
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The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse
- By Eric Carle
- Genre: Arts
Common Sense Media says
Bold, beautiful book is sure to fire up kids’ creativity.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that they should have art materials at the ready when they share this charming book with their kids. Eric Carle aims to inspire young artists to unleash their creativity, and the call is impossible to resist.
What's the story?
An artist stands before a canvas and paints a galloping blue horse, followed by an array of fantastic creatures including a pink rabbit, a green lion, a black polar bear, and a polka-dotted donkey. At the end, he stands by his horse painting and declares: "I am a good artist."
Is it any good?
Eric Carle employs his familiar collage technique to wonderful effect. Each page bursts with color and texture, and the animal lope, leap, and pose in vivid compositions. Text is minimal and declarative, focusing readers’ attention on the joyfully inventive artwork and the artist’s pride in his work.
The book’s simplicity offers plenty of opportunity for families to explore the book’s themes on their own, from talking about how art can inspire to creating your own artwork.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about creativity and imagination. Talk about how the animals are unlike anything you might see in real life, and ask your child what crazy colors he might paint.
This book was inspired by the work of Franz Marc, whose Blue Horse I is reproduced in the end pages. Look at Marc’s horse and then at the one painted by the boy in the story, and talk about their similarities and differences. Explain how the author was inspired to create this book, and encourage your child to create artwork inspired by the book.
Carle creates his collages using hand-painted papers. Look closely at the illustrations to see how he creates textures by dragging objects through the paint. Get out some paint, brushes, and paper and encourage your child to experiment. Offer craft sticks, toothpicks, cotton swaps, or even toy cars to make designs on the painted paper.
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| Author: | Eric Carle |
| Illustrator: | Eric Carle |
| Book type: | Fiction |
| Genre: | Arts |
| Publisher: | Philomel |
| Publication date: | October 4, 2011 |
| Number of pages: | 32 |
| Hardcover price: | $17.99 |
| Publisher's recommended age(s): | 3 - 6 |
| Read aloud: | 6 |
| Read alone: | 6 |
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