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If Picasso Painted a Snowman
Maryland Blue Crab Honor Book 2018 A big, brightly colored, playful introduction to various important painters and art movements.
If someone asked you to paint a snowman, you would probably start with three white circles stacked one upon another. Then you would add black dots for eyes, an orange triangle for a nose, and a black dotted smile. But if Picasso painted a snowman…
From that simple premise flows this delightful, whimsical, educational picture book that shows how the artist’s imagination can summon magic from a prosaic subject. Greg Newbold’s chameleon-like artistry shows us Roy Lichtenstein’s snow hero saving the day, Georgia O’Keefe’s snowman blooming in the desert, Claude Monet’s snowmen among haystacks, Grant Wood’s American Gothic snowman, Jackson Pollock’s snowman in ten thousand splats, Salvador Dali’s snowmen dripping like melty cheese, and snowmen as they might have been rendered by J. M. W. Turner, Gustav Klimt, Paul Klee, Marc Chagall, Georges Seurat, Pablita Velarde, Piet Mondrian, Sonia Delaunay, Jacob Lawrence, and Vincent van Gogh. Our guide for this tour is a lively hamster who―also chameleon-like―sports a Dali mustache on one spread, a Van Gogh ear bandage on the next. “What would your snowman look like?” the book asks, and then offers a page with a picture frame for a child to fill in. Backmatter thumbnail biographies of the artists complete this highly original tour of the creative imagination that will delight adults as well as children. Fountas & Pinnell Level O Full Color
If someone asked you to paint a snowman, you would probably start with three white circles stacked one upon another. Then you would add black dots for eyes, an orange triangle for a nose, and a black dotted smile. But if Picasso painted a snowman…
From that simple premise flows this delightful, whimsical, educational picture book that shows how the artist’s imagination can summon magic from a prosaic subject. Greg Newbold’s chameleon-like artistry shows us Roy Lichtenstein’s snow hero saving the day, Georgia O’Keefe’s snowman blooming in the desert, Claude Monet’s snowmen among haystacks, Grant Wood’s American Gothic snowman, Jackson Pollock’s snowman in ten thousand splats, Salvador Dali’s snowmen dripping like melty cheese, and snowmen as they might have been rendered by J. M. W. Turner, Gustav Klimt, Paul Klee, Marc Chagall, Georges Seurat, Pablita Velarde, Piet Mondrian, Sonia Delaunay, Jacob Lawrence, and Vincent van Gogh. Our guide for this tour is a lively hamster who―also chameleon-like―sports a Dali mustache on one spread, a Van Gogh ear bandage on the next. “What would your snowman look like?” the book asks, and then offers a page with a picture frame for a child to fill in. Backmatter thumbnail biographies of the artists complete this highly original tour of the creative imagination that will delight adults as well as children. Fountas & Pinnell Level O Full Color
36 pages, Paperback
First published October 3, 2017
8 people are currently reading
230 people want to read
About the author
Amy Newbold
9 books45 followersAmy has always loved fairy tales, history, and reading. She grew up making snowmen during Utah winters and learned to read at age 4. She wrote her first monster story in elementary school and her favorite dinosaur is a stegosaurus. She enjoys spending time in nature hiking, camping, and birding. Amy is an avid board game player and has a deep appreciation for chocolate. She loves to travel and spend time with family. When not traveling, Amy enjoys exploring the world through books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 103 reviews
July 30, 2022
Such a wonderful book! Children will be fascinated by the differing visions of a snowman painted by some of the great masters - fun and informative. Children who are interested in art will be amazed at how art is able to be expressed by different artists; and I think it will help spark creativity the more they read about how art is always evolving.
October 25, 2017
Totally biased review here given that I painted all the pictures in this book. Amy and I felt like there was a "fun gap" between the existing introductory art books and what we wanted for our children, so we created this book. We created an entertaining way to explore a variety of famous artists' styles as if they had actually painted a snowman. Lively text such as "Jackson Pollock Created his snowman...splish, splash splat!" and "Dot upon dot upon dot, here's a snowman by Georges Seurat" punctuate the colorful pictures that echo each artist's style. At the end, the last spread contains an invitation to create one's own snowman. In the back matter are kid friendly biographies that introduce each artist depicted and suggestions for art making that hopefully give young creators permission to explore art making with no parameters. With the art history based "easter eggs" in many spreads,we think adults and kids alike will enjoy this book. Enjoy!
October 21, 2017
Absolutely delightful, will recommend to the art teacher at my school.
Group review on the blog, probably next month.
Group review on the blog, probably next month.
November 2, 2017
Not an unbiased review! The art in this picture book is amazing, showing you how seventeen different artists may have painted snowmen. The text is short enough to hold the attention of even young children, and makes this a great bedtime read. This book is great for teachers, librarians, artists, art lovers, parents, grandparents, children and snowman fans! Want to know more about the artists? Biographies in the back tell you more about them. Also included are tips on creating art from the illustrator. This is a playful introduction to art history for readers of all ages. I hope you enjoy this book!
October 2, 2017
Love for the art world permeates this clever introduction to the wonder of artistic expression. An adorable pudgy chipmunk greets readers by asking them how they would make a snowman. He then draws a simple traditional snowman. Stating that not all artists paint the same, the chipmunk then paints a snowman in the styles of seventeen famous artists starting with Picasso, and including such diverse virtuosos as Lichtenstein, O’Keeffe, Monet, Chagall, and Pollock. A blank page invites readers to copy the page and express their own interpretation. End pages provide a paragraph of additional information about each artist as well as a page of advice from Greg Newbold on how to develop an artistic voice. What a creative, approachable way to show children how artists interpret the world in unique ways and to invite them to join in!
January 18, 2022
Featured in a grandma reads session.
So many styles of art are captured inbetween the covers of this fun book! We are exploring the styles and techniques of different artists this month. . .it barely scratches the surface, but this little book was a great way to introduce wonderful artists!
Bright, bold and pointed broadly at the styles of our favorites. We were glad to stretch our art muscles with this read, guessing who was who. Enjoyed by all.
So many styles of art are captured inbetween the covers of this fun book! We are exploring the styles and techniques of different artists this month. . .it barely scratches the surface, but this little book was a great way to introduce wonderful artists!
Bright, bold and pointed broadly at the styles of our favorites. We were glad to stretch our art muscles with this read, guessing who was who. Enjoyed by all.
October 5, 2017
I was privileged to see an advance copy and loved it! Adorable hamster, faithful and amazing interpretations of the masters' styles, and a fantastic idea to bring to a children's book: introducing kids to multiple art styles and artists through the accessible subject of a snowman. Excellent!
September 23, 2017
Starting from a simple but accessible premise of a snowman drawn by most of us with three circles, this book then moves into imagining how various famous artists, including Picasso, Gustav Klimt, Jackson Pollock, Jacob Lawrence, and Vincent van Gogh, might have painted them. Since the book contains actual examples of how the Newbolds conjecture the artwork might have looked, readers familiar with the artists will recognize certain elements in the paintings while also seeing how different they all are. There are thumbnail sketches about each artist provided in the back matter, and readers will finish the book with some reassurance that it is perfectly fine to paint in their own style and that it can take some time to figure out what works best for them. Clearly, the book encourages some artistic risk taking while also providing a brief introduction to the world of art. Several of my favorite artists are featured here, and I am sure that many young readers will use this book as a stepping stone to learn more about the artists and the techniques they employed in their work.
November 21, 2017
What a great way to introduce children to various styles of famous artists! A friendly little guinea pig takes the reader on an educational ride that answers the question: What would a snowman look like if painted by.... ? The seventeen different artists featured include Picasso, J.M.W. Turner, Lichtenstein, O'Keeffe, Klimt, Monet, Velarde, Pollack, Dali, Klee, Chagall,Seurat, Mondrian, Delaunay, Lawrence, van Gogh and Wood. The wide range of artistic styles painting the same object is enhanced in this side-by-side treatment. Greg Newbold has done a fantastic job of capturing the feel of each artist.
Backmatter includes a paragraph about each artist and a few tips on exploring artistic style and voice through different mediums -- having fun along the way!
Fun for a winter storytime, but invaluable to an art teacher!
Backmatter includes a paragraph about each artist and a few tips on exploring artistic style and voice through different mediums -- having fun along the way!
Fun for a winter storytime, but invaluable to an art teacher!
October 27, 2017
Adorable!! I take a little pride in knowing I ordered this because it looked amazing, and THEN found out that my co-worker's sister wrote it. Very happy to be able to read a copy before ours came in. Very clever. A great way to introduce famous artists' works/styles to kids. There was only one artist I didn't know, the rest I got some good laughs with to see the snowmen portrayed there. Especially Dali! So glad to have this in the collection. I think it should be a Beehive nominee.
October 14, 2017
This book is fantastic. It gives a cute and engaging little lesson in art history and different art styles, and also teaches kids how to think outside the box and be creative. This will show a kid it's okay not to be cookie cutter and to play outside the lines.
Met the author illustrators at MPIBA trade show 2017.
Met the author illustrators at MPIBA trade show 2017.
November 1, 2017
Loved it!!! The art in this book is absolutely amazing, but I expected no less from Greg Newbold. What a marvelous way to introduce children to various artists. I read this as a bed time story for nieces and nephews. Even my youngest niece's (3 years old) was drawn to the wonderful colors. I would recommend to all parents, teachers and artists.
June 14, 2017
I was fortunate to get to see this before it was released. This book is utterly delightful! Every time I turned a page, I'd think something along the lines of "Oh! It's Van Gogh! And that's Pollock! And..."
There are also great bios of all the artists being imitated in the back.
There are also great bios of all the artists being imitated in the back.
October 10, 2017
I love this! A winter story about art and a snowman, that doubles as an introduction to the various styles of famous artists. I definitely recommend adding this one to your bookcases. A lovely picture book relevant to all ages.
November 2, 2017
This is a delightful introduction to art for young and old. This beautiful hardcover book is full of amazing illustrations and encourages children to be creative. Go ahead and buy this book for your child, grandchild, niece, neighbor, but most importantly.... buy one for yourself.
October 31, 2017
An entertaining and approachable way to introduce various artists and styles to young children. Great artwork!
November 1, 2017
A great book for children to learn about artists and appreciate all kinds of creativity. It's so clever and the Illustrations are wonderful!
November 2, 2017
This is an excellent book to compare how people can draw the same thing so differently. It's a great way to teach children about individuality and how it is represented in the world.
April 9, 2019
This is a fun little book that teaches a bit about famous artists while imagining how they would've drawn a snowman. The reader is guided through this journey by (for some reason) a fat little hamster.
Plenty of artists are represented here. I enjoyed seeing how each one might have drawn a snowman. By using this one object as the inspiration, the book clearly shows how each style of art looks.
The mini biographical sketches at the back help elevate this book even more. There were a few artists I hadn't heard of, but even the more familiar ones were presented with some new information that I hadn't previously known.
This would be a great book for kids who are interested in art, but it would work just as well as a basic picture book. It's fun to see a snowman interpreted in so many ways.
Quotable moment:
Plenty of artists are represented here. I enjoyed seeing how each one might have drawn a snowman. By using this one object as the inspiration, the book clearly shows how each style of art looks.
The mini biographical sketches at the back help elevate this book even more. There were a few artists I hadn't heard of, but even the more familiar ones were presented with some new information that I hadn't previously known.
This would be a great book for kids who are interested in art, but it would work just as well as a basic picture book. It's fun to see a snowman interpreted in so many ways.
Quotable moment:
March 22, 2018
This is an absolutely wonderful book!
What a creative way to introduce famous artists to little ones. And not so little ones, like me!
The premise: what might a snowman look like if it were painted by Pablo Picasso, or Claude Monet, or Vincent Van Gogh, etc.?
I really enjoyed:
Gustav Klimt's snow family wrapped in a patchwork quilt...
Salvador Dali's snowmen dripping like melted cheese...
Van Gogh's snowman swirling in the wavy hills...
and Grant Wood's famous Snowman Gothic never melting away.
But my absolute favorite was:
Dot Upon Dot Upon Dot, a snowman by Georges Seurat!
The appendix at the back gives more information about each artist. I read it carefully and learned a lot!
For example, Georges Seurat, placed dots of complimentary colors side by side rather than mixing paints to achieve a desired color.
Today his technique is called Pointillism. I had never even heard of that word. I thought the painting was from the impressionist style.
See - you learn something new every day!
What a creative way to introduce famous artists to little ones. And not so little ones, like me!
The premise: what might a snowman look like if it were painted by Pablo Picasso, or Claude Monet, or Vincent Van Gogh, etc.?
I really enjoyed:
Gustav Klimt's snow family wrapped in a patchwork quilt...
Salvador Dali's snowmen dripping like melted cheese...
Van Gogh's snowman swirling in the wavy hills...
and Grant Wood's famous Snowman Gothic never melting away.
But my absolute favorite was:
Dot Upon Dot Upon Dot, a snowman by Georges Seurat!
The appendix at the back gives more information about each artist. I read it carefully and learned a lot!
For example, Georges Seurat, placed dots of complimentary colors side by side rather than mixing paints to achieve a desired color.
Today his technique is called Pointillism. I had never even heard of that word. I thought the painting was from the impressionist style.
See - you learn something new every day!
September 14, 2022
My kids and I loved this one! The paintings are hilarious. It's a fun way to introduce kids to different artists. At the end of the book there is a short paragraph about each artist. My only request for this one is if at the end they had a small picture of the original piece of art they were copying. But no biggie, I can look it up on my phone and show my kids.
February 17, 2018
An effective and fun introduction for young children to the very different characteristic styles of well-known modern painters, from the impressionists on. I enjoyed it and kids will too.
February 14, 2018
Cute book - nice introduction to artists and creativity. Would be a good tie-in to a painting program.
February 8, 2018
LOVE this book! If someone asked you to paint a snowman you'd probably start with three circles. If someone asked Picasso, Van Gogh, Monet, or Dali to paint a snowman, it might look a little different. Each page shows how a famous artist might paint their interpretation of a snowman. At the end of the book it goes into more detail about each artist. Such a great way to compare the different types of artwork by their artist. Would make for a great read in an art class or even in a self contained elementary classroom.
December 5, 2017
I really do think that as much as my kiddos enjoyed this book, I love it even more! There is just something about the opening of the book that really got to me... right from the start we are asked how we would draw a snowman and then answers the question for you - "three white circles stacked upon each other with black dots for eyes, and orange nose, etc..." Which is exactly how we would draw a snowman, right? This is how we are taught to see and draw one, and it is the way a snowman is continuously depicted everywhere you look. But then, the author challenges you - what if a certain artist was to draw a snowman, what do you think it would look like? For example, if the snowman were to be painted by Picasso, Monet, or Pollack? Do you think all of their snowmen would like alike?...
This book not only opens a whole new world for budding artists to let their imaginations run wild and not to limit themselves... it teaches them to think for themselves and to not judge others for being different. It inspires children to believe in themselves and in what they would like to create, but to also accept criticism since we all have our own distinct styles and will translate our own work, and others, in our own way.
All of the artwork and illustrations are brilliant interpretations of every artist's work - Dali, Mondrian, Lawrence, Wood and more! The quality and work that went into them are astounding - I truly felt as if all of the artists came together to collaborate here...
Quoting my 4-year-old after he chose his favorite snowman, Vincent Van Gogh's "snowman swirls and curls in the wavy hills": "It looks cold and snowy. They did a good job!"
Oh, and we cannot forget to mention our adorable narrator - a hamster that not only introduces us in his own quiet way to each interpreted snowman picture but also takes on the persona of every artist mentioned, which helped my son identify each artist and understand that these people each have different ideas, can/will interpret things differently, and every person has their own unique and creative ways. And that he too can create in his own way.
The only thing we all missed seeing in this book - what the author's and/or illustrator's own snowman would have looked like! Although the interpretations that were shared with us are their own unique visions inspired by great artists, we would have loved to have seen their own original artwork alongside them too!
This is definitely a book to share with all the imaginative artists and art history majors in your life! Also, it would be the perfect intro to introducing little ones to different art styles, periods of art history, texture and mediums and so much more!
*We received a hardcover copy of IF PICASSO PAINTED A SNOWMAN from Nicole Banholzer PR, LLC. for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions here are our own. Please leave a comment or message us with any problems and/or questions. Thank you!
This book not only opens a whole new world for budding artists to let their imaginations run wild and not to limit themselves... it teaches them to think for themselves and to not judge others for being different. It inspires children to believe in themselves and in what they would like to create, but to also accept criticism since we all have our own distinct styles and will translate our own work, and others, in our own way.
All of the artwork and illustrations are brilliant interpretations of every artist's work - Dali, Mondrian, Lawrence, Wood and more! The quality and work that went into them are astounding - I truly felt as if all of the artists came together to collaborate here...
Quoting my 4-year-old after he chose his favorite snowman, Vincent Van Gogh's "snowman swirls and curls in the wavy hills": "It looks cold and snowy. They did a good job!"
Oh, and we cannot forget to mention our adorable narrator - a hamster that not only introduces us in his own quiet way to each interpreted snowman picture but also takes on the persona of every artist mentioned, which helped my son identify each artist and understand that these people each have different ideas, can/will interpret things differently, and every person has their own unique and creative ways. And that he too can create in his own way.
The only thing we all missed seeing in this book - what the author's and/or illustrator's own snowman would have looked like! Although the interpretations that were shared with us are their own unique visions inspired by great artists, we would have loved to have seen their own original artwork alongside them too!
This is definitely a book to share with all the imaginative artists and art history majors in your life! Also, it would be the perfect intro to introducing little ones to different art styles, periods of art history, texture and mediums and so much more!
*We received a hardcover copy of IF PICASSO PAINTED A SNOWMAN from Nicole Banholzer PR, LLC. for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions here are our own. Please leave a comment or message us with any problems and/or questions. Thank you!
Read
November 8, 2017There are short ones and tall ones and fat ones and skinny ones. All sorts of items, natural and man-made are added to further distinguish their physical characteristics. Just as there are no two snowflakes alike, there are no two snowwomen, snowmen, snow children or snow creatures alike. Each one is as unique as its maker.
When we bring the activity of creating snow figures indoors, materials other than snow capture our attention. Every kind of artistic medium can be used, paper, paint, crayons, colored pencils, glass, plastic, pebbles, fabric, wood, foam, chalk, dough, tin, string or yarn. The list is only limited by your imagination. It would be safe to say author Amy Newbold and her artist husband Greg Newbold have supplied readers with an entirely unique approach to depicting snowmen. If Picasso Painted a Snowman (Tilbury House Publishers, October 3, 2017) is a gallery of seventeen notable painters.
My full recommendation: http://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2...
When we bring the activity of creating snow figures indoors, materials other than snow capture our attention. Every kind of artistic medium can be used, paper, paint, crayons, colored pencils, glass, plastic, pebbles, fabric, wood, foam, chalk, dough, tin, string or yarn. The list is only limited by your imagination. It would be safe to say author Amy Newbold and her artist husband Greg Newbold have supplied readers with an entirely unique approach to depicting snowmen. If Picasso Painted a Snowman (Tilbury House Publishers, October 3, 2017) is a gallery of seventeen notable painters.
My full recommendation: http://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2...
December 29, 2017
LOVED this one. It's perfect for all ages, honestly. This would be a perfect book for art teachers, librarians, or fans of art to look through. The book asks readers how they would draw a snowman (make three circles, add a face, etc.) and then the following pages recreate snowmen in the art styles of Picasso, Van Gogh, Klimt, etc. (Sorry for not adding all the artists, I'm not familiar with every artist featured!).
The book is colorful and kid-friendly. Kids, especially school-aged ones, will be interested in the artwork and will be inspired to draw their own snowmen while grown-ups will appreciate—and recognize!—some of the artists' styles featured.
Absolutely would recommend to anyone ;)
The book is colorful and kid-friendly. Kids, especially school-aged ones, will be interested in the artwork and will be inspired to draw their own snowmen while grown-ups will appreciate—and recognize!—some of the artists' styles featured.
Absolutely would recommend to anyone ;)
January 8, 2018
This is a great book for elementary age children. It explores different artists and their styles by recreating one of their most famous pieces but with snowmen. I highly recommend this book to young artists who want a quick reference to multiple styles of painting in an unusual way.
December 16, 2017
I'm totally smitten by this charming clever book. A little hamster paints snowmen in the style of famous painters and each one is a wonderful example of the elements of that painter's work.
Short excellent biographies are included as back matter. This is just a terrific book for use in classrooms, elementary and middle school art classes or to be enjoyed independently. So many possible activities using this book and Greg Newbold offers his own valuable advice to young artists.
Terrific book design here - the illustrations fairly pop from the pages.
Short excellent biographies are included as back matter. This is just a terrific book for use in classrooms, elementary and middle school art classes or to be enjoyed independently. So many possible activities using this book and Greg Newbold offers his own valuable advice to young artists.
Terrific book design here - the illustrations fairly pop from the pages.
December 6, 2017
A remarkably talented hamster demonstrates what a snowman would look like if painted by such modern artists as Marc Chagall, Salvador Dali, Sonia Delaunay, Paul Klee, Jacob Lawrence, Piet Mondrian, Jackson Pollock, Vincent van Gogh, and Grant Wood. A big, bright, fun introduction kids to the different styles of various famous artists.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 103 reviews