About This Book
Reach for this book when you want to channel your toddler's high energy into a moment of creative observation or to calm down after a busy afternoon of physical play. While it is ostensibly a book about art, it functions beautifully as a bridge between a child's natural urge to move and the quiet focus required to appreciate visual storytelling. Using the iconic, bold cutouts of Henri Matisse, the book introduces young children to the concept that art is alive and full of motion. It focuses on the pure joy of shapes and colors, making sophisticated modern art accessible to the smallest readers. It is a perfect choice for parents who want to foster an early appreciation for aesthetics while celebrating their child's own blossoming physical autonomy.
What Parents Should Know
Sensitive Topics
None. The book is entirely secular and focuses on the celebratory nature of the human form and movement.
Ideal Reader
A preschooler who is just starting to notice that shapes can represent things in the real world, especially one who loves to move their body and might find traditional 'sitting still' stories a bit of a challenge.
Parent Prep
Read this cold. The beauty is in the spontaneous reaction to the colors. However, having some colored construction paper and safety scissors nearby for an immediate 'after-activity' is highly recommended. A parent might reach for this after seeing their child captivated by a simple shadow or a brightly colored scrap of paper, or perhaps after a dance class where the child showed interest in how movement looks.
