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The Magical Life of Mr. Renny
When he is unable to sell his paintings and has no money for food, Mr. Renny meets a man who is able to make his paintings come to life.
40 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2012
About the author
Leo Timmers
70 books53 followersLeo Timmers was born in 1970, in Belgium. Trained in Graphic Design he began to illustrate Children’s books. Gradually he started writing stories himself. In 2000 he received a Bookfeather Award for his illustrations in 'Happy with me'. He won the annual Children’s and Youth jury Award in both 2005 with ‘Just in time’ (written by Bart Demyttenaere) and 2006 with ‘Supermouse’.In 2007 he won with his picture book ‘Who is driving?' His books have been published in France, Spain, Norway, Finland, USA, Canada, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Italy, Korea, UK, Israel, Portugal, Germany and Japan. Leo also illustrates for magazines such as HUMO and various advertising agenciesOver the years his style has evolved, but it has always been marked by humour, form, colour, and incisive ideas. Leo lives in Brussels with his wife and two daughters.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
September 30, 2014
This book tells the tale of Mr. Renny, a dog who is a painter extraordinaire, yet no one buys his paintings. One day, a mysterious man shows up and gives Renny the power to turn anything he paints into reality. Renny takes advantage of this new power and becomes very rich, living in luxury, but he is never satisfied. One day, an old friend of his asks him for a painting and he comes to the realization that he does not paint anymore, and isn't satisfied with his life. So he finds the mysterious man and asks to have his paintings be paintings again. Then he lives happily ever after, being satisfied with his life.
The story is actually rather boring and predictable. Nothing really ever goes wrong for Mr. Remmy and when he wants his old life back, he immediately gets it. There's no struggle, no lesson learned, just living happily ever after. I was at least hoping that Remmy would have some sort of realization that he would only be satisfied if he followed what he loved doing, but there was no explicit message there. It was just kind of boring. The story is fine for young children, but there are so many better stories out there for kids to learn from.
What salvages this book from being completely boring are Timmers' illustrations. He uses an interesting style of shading and color to create vivid yet fantastical pictures that bring the book to life. The illustrations also fit well with the story as Mr. Renny's paintings are supposed to be realistic to come to life and the illustrations themselves are fairly realistic. The fun of the book comes from seeing all of the amazingly vivid pictures and colors. This book has a boring story, but great pictures which makes it worth reading.
The story is actually rather boring and predictable. Nothing really ever goes wrong for Mr. Remmy and when he wants his old life back, he immediately gets it. There's no struggle, no lesson learned, just living happily ever after. I was at least hoping that Remmy would have some sort of realization that he would only be satisfied if he followed what he loved doing, but there was no explicit message there. It was just kind of boring. The story is fine for young children, but there are so many better stories out there for kids to learn from.
What salvages this book from being completely boring are Timmers' illustrations. He uses an interesting style of shading and color to create vivid yet fantastical pictures that bring the book to life. The illustrations also fit well with the story as Mr. Renny's paintings are supposed to be realistic to come to life and the illustrations themselves are fairly realistic. The fun of the book comes from seeing all of the amazingly vivid pictures and colors. This book has a boring story, but great pictures which makes it worth reading.
March 5, 2019
Meneer René is a book based on real life painter René Magritte. In the book Meneer René is an incredible painter but he is not very famous, one day a magician offers him the magical ability to make anything he paints become real. Meneer René starts painting everything he ever wanted. After he paints it, it becomes real. Until one day, when a friend of his asks him to paint her a beautiful painting. He realizes that maybe painting was the only thing he really wanted after all.
The main theme in this book is art. I would recommend using it therefor in a classroom during an art theme, it is a great conversation starter and motivates kids to start drawing. For example, they can draw something that they want to come to life.
Personally, I really love this book, I have read it in a classroom before and it was a wonderful experience, all the kids wanted to be a painter and got really motivated to start drawing. So it’s definitely a five stars for me.
The main theme in this book is art. I would recommend using it therefor in a classroom during an art theme, it is a great conversation starter and motivates kids to start drawing. For example, they can draw something that they want to come to life.
Personally, I really love this book, I have read it in a classroom before and it was a wonderful experience, all the kids wanted to be a painter and got really motivated to start drawing. So it’s definitely a five stars for me.
September 6, 2017
Mr. Renny is a fabulous artist, but one day he is offered the chance by a magician to have anything he paints become real. Mr. Renny is able to make himself a ship and travel to see the world. He can make any food he desires simply by painting it. Life is grand. Until one day, when a friend in town asks Mr. Renny for a painting. He can no longer do it. Mr. Renny decides the magic is not quite what he thought it would be and wishes to just be able to do his regular art work again. As Mr. Renny says: "Once a painter, always a painter."
December 20, 2023
Eenvoudig voorleesboekje, met een knipoogje naar René Magritte. De tekeningen zijn heel leuk, met een paar grappige details, en zelfs een schattig, maar triestig zijverhaaltje.
Een tof boek om voor te lezen - ik wil nu wel meer van Timmers ontdekken.
Een tof boek om voor te lezen - ik wil nu wel meer van Timmers ontdekken.
November 20, 2024
Mr. Renny was a brilliant painter whose paintings looked just like the real thing. However, they wouldn't sale at the market. One day, a stranger does something that takes Mr. Renny on a magical journey.
September 19, 2018
3* art
3* story
3* story
February 28, 2019
Superleuk boek. Tip voor in de klas: wat zouden de kinderen willen schilderen zodat het echt werd?
April 25, 2022
An okay book with a good message.
December 25, 2023
Een leuke om voor te lezen. Goed geschreven, tof geïllustreerd, kleurrijk. Zoals alle boeken van Leo Timmers. Eentje die je zeker meerdere keren kan en wil lezen.
October 25, 2024
My kids thought this was so silly!!
March 2, 2017
Enormously playful and fun. The illustrations are fabulous.
December 6, 2012
Mr. Renny is such a good painter that everything he paints looks just like the real thing. But no matter what he paints, no one wants to buy his work at the market. Everyone flocks to Rose’s fruit stall instead. If only Mr. Renny could eat the apple in his painting, then he wouldn’t be hungry. POOF! A stranger in a bowler hat appears, snaps his fingers and an real apple tumbles out of the painting, “Take a bite and all your paintings will come to life.” And POOF! The man is gone. Mr. Renny bites into the apple and all his paintings spring to life! Mr. Renny is overjoyed. He starts small, just painting what he wants to eat, but then his wants become bigger. He paints cars, cruise ships, swimming pools, blimps, and a huge mansion. He’s never satisfied because he’s always thinking of his next painting. Then one day Rose from the market pays him a call. She wants to buy a painting. But he has no paintings to sell because they all come to life. “So you’re no longer a painter? What a pity, Mr. Renny,” and Rose leaves. What should Mr. Renny do? Is he still a painter if he has no paintings to show or sell? Are real objects the same as painted ones?
Originally written in Flemish and published in Belgium, this book is a meditation on art, reality, and materialism wrapped in a cartoonish adventure. The pacing is lively and the translation is well done. Timmers is obviously paying tribute to the surreal painter, René Magritte. Mr. Renny’s painting of an apple and the mysterious and magical stranger were clearly inspired by Magritte’s paintings. In addition, the story begins with the reality bending words, “This is not an apple,” beneath an illustration of a bright green apple. The painted illustrations are bright and bold and the big-headed, bubble-eyed characters are playful and quirky. The compositions are top notch and there is much to be discovered in the details.
Full Review at Picture-Book-a-Day: http://picturebookaday.blogspot.com/2...
Originally written in Flemish and published in Belgium, this book is a meditation on art, reality, and materialism wrapped in a cartoonish adventure. The pacing is lively and the translation is well done. Timmers is obviously paying tribute to the surreal painter, René Magritte. Mr. Renny’s painting of an apple and the mysterious and magical stranger were clearly inspired by Magritte’s paintings. In addition, the story begins with the reality bending words, “This is not an apple,” beneath an illustration of a bright green apple. The painted illustrations are bright and bold and the big-headed, bubble-eyed characters are playful and quirky. The compositions are top notch and there is much to be discovered in the details.
Full Review at Picture-Book-a-Day: http://picturebookaday.blogspot.com/2...
November 11, 2019
Meneer René van Leo Timmers gaat over een kunstschilder die niet veel verkoopt. Door een bezoek van een mysterieuze man met een Bolhoed, wordt alles wat hij schildert echt. Van kleine voorwerpen groeit het al snel naar hele grote zaken die hij wenst, totdat hij erachter komt dat hij geen gewone schilderijen meer kan maken. Omdat hij dat uiteindelijk toch het liefst wil vraagt hij de mysterieuze meneer het weer terug te draaien. Moraal van het verhaal: Je kunt nog wel alles hebben en krijgen; je wordt pas echt gelukkig als je kan doen wat je leuk vindt.
Klacht in enkele andere reviews was dat het allemaal wel iets te makkelijk gaat. En dat klopt wel een beetje. Al is de manier waarop hij de mysterieuze meneer weer terugvindt, wel grappig bedacht.
Voor de jonge kinderen toch wel gewoon een leuk boek, waar ook leuk met elkaar over gepraat kan worden, want welke wensen zou jij uit laten komen?
Klacht in enkele andere reviews was dat het allemaal wel iets te makkelijk gaat. En dat klopt wel een beetje. Al is de manier waarop hij de mysterieuze meneer weer terugvindt, wel grappig bedacht.
Voor de jonge kinderen toch wel gewoon een leuk boek, waar ook leuk met elkaar over gepraat kan worden, want welke wensen zou jij uit laten komen?
February 1, 2013
Age: Preschool+
Art: Painting
A common tale about endless material wishes coming true but never being fully satisfied. Mr. Renny is given the ability to paint whatever he wants and have it become real. Only when Mr. Renny is asked to paint for the sake of painting does he realize that this gives him most happiness.
Art: Painting
A common tale about endless material wishes coming true but never being fully satisfied. Mr. Renny is given the ability to paint whatever he wants and have it become real. Only when Mr. Renny is asked to paint for the sake of painting does he realize that this gives him most happiness.
January 22, 2017
(KidLit ED204 category: Fantasy)
The colorful illustrations draw you in, while the thought provoking idea of magically having all your paintings come to life keeps you interested! What would you do if you could have anything, just by painting it? Would you be happy? Could anything be wrong with that? A cute children's story with an important underlying moral.
The colorful illustrations draw you in, while the thought provoking idea of magically having all your paintings come to life keeps you interested! What would you do if you could have anything, just by painting it? Would you be happy? Could anything be wrong with that? A cute children's story with an important underlying moral.
April 7, 2026
Geweldig boek.
Mooie tekeningen. Veelheid aan woordenschat om te benoemen op de prenten en extra dingen om te ontdekken.
Spoort kinderen aan tot nadenken. Educatief.
Met een knipoog naar René Magritte.
Zo goed dat ik het zelf aanschaf.
Mooie tekeningen. Veelheid aan woordenschat om te benoemen op de prenten en extra dingen om te ontdekken.
Spoort kinderen aan tot nadenken. Educatief.
Met een knipoog naar René Magritte.
Zo goed dat ik het zelf aanschaf.
November 8, 2024
Une chouette histoire pour apprendre que le bonheur ne se possède pas, mais goûter tout de même à la joie de posséder ce que l'on désire, pour finalement revenir à l'essentiel.
Coloré et joyeux, ce chien peintre donne envie de prendre ses crayons et de dessiner ses rêves.
Coloré et joyeux, ce chien peintre donne envie de prendre ses crayons et de dessiner ses rêves.
Want to Read
July 31, 2012give me my covers!
September 25, 2012
Painter Mr. Renny discovers what the things are in life that matter most.
September 26, 2012
Vibrant pictures combined with a great story about what is important in life.
Highly recommended!
Highly recommended!
September 28, 2012
friendship, too much of a good thing
November 3, 2012
Charming story with a subtly presented moral. The art is funny and colorful. Fun whether or not you get the message.
December 8, 2012
What if anything you painted could come to life? What would that mean? A sweet little book that makes us wonder does having everything we wish for really bring us happiness?
November 14, 2013
A wonderfully visual book on wanting more, but does it make you happy? Colorful illustrations. Nice message.
December 16, 2016
This book has a wonderful message! Love it!
Read
February 14, 2013Great illustrations, good for one on one sharing
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews