The Art Lesson: A Shavuot Story

by Allison Marks, Wayne Marks, Annie Wilkinson (Illustrator)

Shoshana loves spending time at Grandma Jacobs' art studio and for Shavuot, Grandma Jacobs has a very special art project in mind! Shoshana learns how to make papercuts by carefully folding squares of paper and cutting shapes out of them. But can she create works of art as beautiful as the ones Grandma makes?

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Jewish, Art

32 pages, Hardcover

Published January 1, 2017

Reviews

[Chattie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is very good. I like that it is a story and an art lesson in one book. The family tradition warms our heart.

[Ilana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Based on the tradition of papercut art practised on Shavuot, this book tells the story of transmitting a custom from a generation to another, through stories. What Shoshana learned from her artist grandmother she will further teach her grandchildren to use their imagination while keeping in line with the usual customs associated with the holiday. Aimed at preschool children, this beautifully illustrated book also has interesting references to Jewish artists like Chagall and Modigliani and includes a how to DIY a Maghen David papercut. If you are thinking to keep your kids interested in the story Shavuot by involving them to create their own papercuts, this book is the right present recommendation.
Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher

[K.L. Bernard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shoshana loved to paint. She would do this with Grandma Jacobs whom she fondly referred to as Grandma J. Her Grandma had an art studio. Shoshana explored and discovered sprouting paint brushes, colorful masks, easels canvases and oil paints. Their shared project for the day was to make a cut paper art to celebrate Shavuot, which is the spring harvest. Shoshana’s paper cut outs weren’t as good as Grandma J’s. But her Grandma asked her to look a little closer and what do you think Shoshana discovered?

Authors Allison and Wayne Marks share an artful tale and teach young readers about Shavuot and Jewish Culture. Shavuot is when Jewish people celebrate receiving the Ten Commandments. Colorful illustrations are creative and artistic. Simple sentences are easy for beginner readers. The back of the book has a Star of David Papercut activity and a note about Shavuot. Readers will also learn about some very interesting artists. Parents and teachers can share this story with children to educate them about Jewish history and culture.

[Julie Ditton · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Art Lesson is a sweet story about a special bond of love between generations, and self expression through art. The afterward not only explains Shoshana looks forward to her art lesson once a week at her grandmother's house. At Shavuot, grandma teaches her to make papercut art. The afterward not only explains the background of the holiday and a few well known customs, it also explains that Jews in Eastern Europe would decorate their homes at Shavuot with papercut folk art. through out the story, Grandma calls Shoshana nick names, each one a famous Jewish artist. The afterward provides a biographical paragraph and refers the reader to the page number where an examples of that artists style is replicated in the illustrations. This book provides an art lesson, information about Shavuot and a story about love between a child and her grandparent that eventually goes full circle.

[Margaret Klein · Rating 4 out of 5]

A new PJ Library offering for Shavuot. It will delight early elementary students and frustrate them, perhaps. Shoshana goes every week to her grandmother's art studio. Every week there is a different project. This week they are making paper cuts for Shavuot. Now paper cuts are like making paper snowflakes--only a little more complex. Shoshana wants to make roses like her name. She just can't quite get it and she winds up frustrated. The grandmother turns her frustration around and makes Shoshana's paper cuts into something unique, just like her. You'll have to read the rest to see what happens.

[Kensie Linick]

I want to remember this book for my future classroom because it focuses on both the connected bonds of art, family, and tradition. I never would have necessarily considered teaching traditions through art, but this book sets up the opportunity for this to be done cross-culturally. Students would have the opportunity to dive deeper into their own ancestral traditions and learn about those of others!

[Shari (Shira) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was excited to discover a Jewish theme picture book from a mainstream publisher. Unfortunately, I was disappointed. The subtitle of the book is "a Shavuot story." Shavuot only got a nod in the book. No mention of the tradition of having dairy meals or reading the story of Ruth. The emphasis was on artists and "papercuts." There is no tradition of making papercuts.

[SAVINA · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed this read with my baby nephew, great introduction to diversity and the Jewish religion, great for all children to read :)

[Jessi Color · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute story with a fun art project for kids at the end.

[Story Doyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was pretty long, but I listened to the whole thing!

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book free in a Goodreads giveaway.

This book was very cute and I enjoyed reading it a lot. It is about a girl who visits her grandmother frequently to make art projects and learns about her Jewish heritage through the artwork.

As I said it was a very good picture book. I liked how it included real artists in the book as well as instructions at the end to make your own art.

[Jill H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review is meant for parents, teachers, and other people that work with children to read.

Shoshana loves to go to her grandmother Jacob's art studio every Thursday after school. She has made a lot of art projects there with her help, a lot of which are used during the Jewish holidays. One day her grandmother has her open a drawer with a special surprise in it, although sheets of white blank paper don't seem so special to Shoshana at first. Grandma Jacobs shows her what her bubbe taught her about what to make with that paper and teaches Shoshana to do the same. Although the art she makes by cutting patterns/pieces of this paper out doesn't turn out to be what Shoshana wants to make, Grandma Jacobs helps her find the beauty of her art work by showing her what her art work reminds her of. Shoshana also carries on what her grandmother taught her about art in a big way in her adult years.

I liked that Shoshana was so excited about what was in store every Thursday and that it developed her into being a young and eventually an adult artist. The illustrations of what Grandma Jacob's art studio looked like helped a lot to put pictures with the verbal descriptions.

I also liked how Grandma Jacobs called Shoshana by different artist names in this book. The nicknames were all about real artists that are described in the back of the book. I also liked that examples of their art styles are shown throughout the book; the information about what pages the examples can be found on are located at the same section the artists are described.

I think that children will take away a great idea of putting papercut art in their windows during Shavuot or any Jewish holiday from reading this book. There is also a craft idea in the back of the book that lists directions on how to make a Star of David papercut craft.

I received this book free for the purpose of reviewing it.

[Theresa Wade · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very nice and cute picture book. The pictures are very colorful. The book is about a girl visiting grandma and enjoying art projects for Shavuot. The information about past artist is a very nice addition along with giving example work in the pictures. I look forward to showing this very colorful book to my grandchildren.

[Laine · Rating 5 out of 5]

such a heartwarming story about passing along traditions. beautifully told. it made me FEEL things haha.