Jon Scieszka
The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales
Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith
1992 (Viking/Penguin)
- Caldecott Honor - 1993
~~~~~
Seen Art?
Jon Scieszka
illustrated by Lane Smith
2005
This is a very cute picture book about a boy looking for his friend, Art. He is supposed to meet Art and cannot find him, so he asks someone. He is directed to the Museum of Modern Art in New York (near where he was supposed to meet his friend). In the MoMA he asks various people where Art is. Each one takes him to a different area of the museum to show him what they consider art. The plot is funny and cute and the child discovering art is charming.
This book is designed wonderfully. The drawings have photographs of various works of art on display in the MoMA integrated in them, so the reader gets to see the museum as the boy in the story does. Some wonderful pieces of art, as well as some unusual ones are included in the book (my favourite was “Starry Night” by Van Gogh). The story is simple, but very cute.
I enjoyed this book a great deal. It was a fun read. I particularly enjoyed seeing the art chosen for the book and being reminded that everyone has a different idea of what true art is. I would recommend this book, although one read is probably enough.
~~~~~
Cowboy and Octopus
Jon Scieszka
illustrated by Lane Smith
2007 (Viking/Penguin)
- CCBC Choices - Picture Books for School-Aged Children - 2008
- Review at Kids Lit
- Review at the excelsior file
- Review in The News Tribune
~~~~~
