Common Sense Media Review
By Jan Carr
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Wordless book celebrates art with magical trip to museum.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 4+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
In IMAGINE!, a boy sets off on his skateboard and crosses the Brooklyn Bridge to go to the Museum of Modern Art in Manhattan. There, he looks at three iconic paintings: Henri Rousseau's The Sleeping Gypsy, Pablo Picasso's Three Musicians, and Henri Matisse's Icarus. The figures in the artwork step out, and the boy leads them on a joyous romp through New York City -- through Times Square, riding the subway and Coney Island's Cyclone roller coaster, and up to the crown of the Statue of Liberty, culminating in a songfest in Central Park. When they return to the museum, the figures step back into their paintings, and the boy rides his skateboard back to Brooklyn, where he puts his own chalk to use on a building wall, making a mural directly inspired by the figures in the paintings.
Is It Any Good?
Joy jumps off the pages of this book, just as the characters pictured in the museum magically leap out of their iconic paintings. Imagine! effectively makes the case that museums need not be viewed as stodgy, out-of-reach places. In the author's note, author-illustrator Raúl Colón reveals that he himself didn't get to an art museum until he was an adult, so he's happy to swing open the museum door, inviting kids in.
Though the book is wordless, it has a well-crafted, engaging storyline. And the art's double the fun. Colón manages to recognizably depict the three actual paintings, while altering the figures just enough so they can dance and cavort through the streets of New York. The boy's a great role model. He looks so frothily happy, it's clear he's found his artistic home. And that box of colored chalk visible throughout in his back pocket? He puts it to very satisfying creative use at the end.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the paintings in Imagine! Do you know who the artists are? What does Raúl Colón say about them at the end? Why do you think he wanted to picture the characters stepping out of the paintings and having fun in the city?
Have you ever been to an art museum? Do you remember any paintings you saw? What did you like about them?
Why do you think the boy used his chalk at the end to draw a mural? How was he inspired by the paintings at the museum?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Raúl Colón
- Genre : Picture Book
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Arts
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books
- Publication date : September 11, 2018
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 4 - 8
- Number of pages : 48
- Available on : Nook, Hardback, Kindle
- Last updated : September 30, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate