Grandma in Blue with Red Hat

February 2, 2015
Inspired by a Saturday morning art class at what looks like the Metropolitan Museum of Art, a boy decides that his beloved grandmother should be in the collection. No, not a portrait of her—the woman herself. After all, like the rest of the great art on display, grandma is one-of-a-kind, beautiful, and distinctive; in short, “Grandma makes me feel good.” When the curator firmly but politely dissuades him from this plan, the boy puts together an exhibition at his home that celebrates both the variety of artistic expression and one amazing woman. Menchin (Harry Goes to Dog School) and Bliss (The Sweetest Witch Around) don’t lecture or try to dumb down aesthetics, technique, or art history—although, thanks to Bliss, readers will probably never forget that Picasso “liked to paint in his underwear.” Instead, the authors take a more intriguing path, asking, “Why does something belong in an art museum?” By steering readers into the heady realm of context, criteria, and taste, everyone becomes a critic—and that’s an illuminating, empowering thing. Ages 4–8. Agent: Holly McGhee, Pippin Properties.

February 15, 2015
Using his love of art to honor his grandmother, a boy fumbles with his first plan but succeeds with his second.Weekly art class at a museum (clearly the Metropolitan Museum of Art) is exciting. The teacher's assertion that "anything can be in an art exhibition"-toys, hair clips, water bottles-is followed by a brainstorming session among the kids of art's traits. Is it beautiful, funny or unique? Does it come from afar or make people "feel good"? This inspires an unusual idea. The protagonist's grandmother possesses all those traits, so "I should give Grandma to the museum!" This odd inspiration doesn't quite make sense: The boy's too fond of his grandma to want her gone and too old to genuinely think humans are donate-able, but it doesn't read like a joke. Luckily, the museum nixes it, and the boy moves on. He creates an entire mixed-media art exhibit under his own steam, each piece a portrayal of Grandma in a different artistic style. Bliss uses pen, ink and watercolor to mix affectionate figure drawings and re-creations of famous artwork with speech bubbles and faces straight from the comics (including some eyebrows that don't quite fit). Though lacking the visceral joie de vivre of Angela Johnson and E.B. Lewis' Lily Brown's Paintings (2007), this helps fill a critical need for art-loving black child characters. A good bridge to take children from comic tropes to fine art. (Picture book. 4-8)

February 1, 2015

Gr 1-3-"Saturday is the best day. Because that's the day I go to art class at the museum," explains an African American boy. He and his classmates discuss famous art pieces and discuss why each one is worthy to be included in the museum-because it's beautiful/funny/one-of-a-kind/makes viewers feel good. The boy realizes that his beloved grandmother fulfills all of the requirements for a museum exhibit and decides to donate her to the collection. The curator treats his idea with respect but explains that the museum does not accept grandmas. Undaunted, the boy goes into a frenzy of art study and creation in order to hold his own exhibit. Each piece features his grandmother and is an homage to a different artist or movement. At the end, in front of the titular piece, Grandma in Blue with a Hat, his grandma tells him that the exhibit is wonderful and one-of-a-kind. "Just like Grandma," he adds proudly. The illustrations are full of clever nods and references to famous art and skillfully done; however, none of the struggle or reality of creating art is shown, and the boy seems to create and host a museum-quality show complete with exhibit guides. It's not clear whether he is incredibly talented or if the exhibit is pictured as he imagines it. Art quibbles aside, the story is well written and serves as a great introduction to art appreciation. VERDICT The subject matter, along with a tender grandparent relationship, makes this a worthwhile purchase for large collections.-Anna Haase Krueger, Ramsey County Library, MN

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 1, 2015
In this gentle rumination on the nature of art and family affection, young visitors to an art museum suggest seven reasons why an object might be acquired by the institution. Our hero realizes that all seven criteria ("It's beautiful," "It's different," "It tells a story," "It came from somewhere far away," etc.) apply to his grandmother, so he decides to donate her to the museum. When his donation is declined by the curator, the budding artist defaults to the backup plan of depicting his grandmother in a wide variety of styles and media and staging his own one-man art show. In two joyous double-page spreads we see visitors at the opening, reacting to portraits of Grandma in sculpture, prints, and paintings, reflecting a wide range of influences, from Van Gogh to Modigliani to modern comics. Menchin's uncomplicated text is matched by cartoonist Bliss's openhearted watercolors. Young art history students will enjoy embedded Picasso and Duchamp references. Grandmas, particularly those who belong to the Red Hat Society, will be pleased to be honored as "one of a kind." sarah ellis

(Copyright 2015 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)