3 comments about Henri Matisse: Drawing with Scissors: Drawing with Scissors (Smart About Art).

1. Cute, but not as substantial as I would have liked.



2. An amusing introduction to the artist Matisse that I highly recommend. Written as though it's an 8-yr-old's school report, it is accessible and very informative. It includes reproductions of Matisse art and biographical information. Loved it. And it was useful as a teaching tool.



3. I think it was cute for parents of the child, but not really worth purchasing, I expectsd a graft project book. Waste of money.

No comments about Paula Nadelstern's Kaleidoscope Quilts: An Artist's Journey Continues.

5 comments about Gathering Blue.

1. "`Can you make blue?' she asked.
   But Annabella frowned. `You need the woad,' she said. `Gather fresh leaves from first year's growth of woad. And soft rainwater, that makes the blue.' She shook her head. `I have nought. Others do, but they be far away.'
   `Who be others?' Matt asked.
   The old woman didn't answer the boy. She pointed toward the far edge of her garden, where the woods began and there seemed to be a narrow overgrown path. Then she turned toward her hut. Kira heard her speak in a low voice. `I ne'er could make it,' she was saying. `But some have blue yonder.'"
   
   When Kira's mother dies of sickness Kira is left all alone to die because of her crippled leg. Then unexpectedly the Council of Guardians grants Kira a place as The Weaver. While working to repair the Singer's robe Kira works with the old dyer Annabella, and learns that they have no woad to make blue. While living at the Council Edifice Kira finds out many secrets, about the Council, herself, places yonder, and their future. As she ventures into ideas she'd never even dreamed of her role becomes clearer. She must change the future to save the town from the Council, and help gather blue.
   Gathering Blue fits right along with The Giver. In both worlds there are secrets hidden from the town, and the main characters uncover the secrets. They also both try to save the town and make the townspeople stronger. The leaders of the towns rule the people and leave the people clueless. Gathering Blue has deeper emotions, and is better than The Giver. If you like The Giver you will definitely enjoy reading Gathering Blue.
   In Gathering Blue there are more complex characters. The main character Kira is filled with adventure and suspicion. This makes the book interesting and makes the reader want to read on. Matt is her little friend that follows her everywhere, and he matures during the book, to understand Kira more. Jamison is Kira's defender, who is a suspicious and very uncertain character. Thomas is very serious, and is knowledgeable. He helps Kira unravel the secrets of the council.
   In the end, Louis Lowry leaves you to imagine what happens to Kira next. I was disappointed that it was another cliffhanger ending. The book could have used a little more resolution, like The Giver. I was so frustrated when I didn't get to find out if Kira actually succeeded in her mission or not. I'll always be wondering what happened. Read the book Gathering Blue and see what you think will happen to Kira after all. Happy reading!



2. This book was interesting and a parrallel to The Giver, being a primitice society while The Giver presented a futuristic society. This is a worthwhile book like I said, but I read it because I was told it was a "companion" to The Giver, which is my favorite book. If you are looking to find out what happens to Jonas and Gabe by reading this book you won't find an answer! The conclusions of the characters from both The Giver and Gathering Blue are given in the third companion, The Messenger.



3. I found this somewhat slow to start. About 70 pages in it seemed more interesting. I continued reading because this has fairly decent reviews and I've read Lois Lowry's 'Gossamer' which I really liked.
   
   I have mixed reviews on this book. I did NOT enjoy reading this book. I thought the writing was well enough that I did like the characters and cared for them. I was bothered by how people are treated in this society especially the children. I felt a sense of urgency to continue to read to make sure the kids and the main characters turned out ok. With that said, I never found much relief. I don't understand why people are saying this has a happy ending. I wouldn't say this has a happy ending. Also, I thought the ending left you with so many questions...Why did she stay? Why not go and take her friends with her? Why didn't she tell anyone the truth about the dyer's death?
   
   I can understand how some people would like this type of book. I prefer a book with a happy ending, an uplifting moral/message or clean love story. None of that was found in this book.



4. I thought this story was a pretty good read but if you're looking for a fast-paced story full of action, you'll probably be disappointed.
   
   All in all, I thought this was a good book and if you like Lois Lowry's other books then this is definitely a story worth picking up.



5. Lois Lowry provides a little look into a fantasy world. No special powers, luckily, but it is an imaginary land with imaginary people. They could exist though, people could be like that... As the book opens our special girl is somewhat even luck to be alive.. Usually when a child is born with a disfigurement they are sent out to die, but Kira, now a teenager was luckily spared. The words "Gathering Blue" can have more then one connotation, but both may apply here. As you read the book, look occasionally to the front cover to gain insight to the heart that flows between the pages.

5 comments about I Ain't Gonna Paint No More! (Ala Notable Children's Books. Younger Readers (Awards)).

1. This book is one of the funniest childrens books I have read in a long time. My daughter loves the sing song way the book flows and she laughs everytime we read it. I have recommended this book to others and they have purchased it because their kids love it!!



2. I absolutely love this book! The illustrations and colors are just fantastic. This is by far one of the greatest children's books I have come across.
   
   That being said, I am a little surprised by the negative comments regarding this book. First of all, everyone knows that the phrase "I ain't gonna paint no more" is not proper english. It's just an expression... lighten up.
   
   Second of all, maybe the child in the book is "unruly." The story, and the title for that matter, isn't meant to be taken literally. Most books, TV shows, and movies aren't meant to be taken literally either. If you have several kids under the age of 6 who hit each other with bricks and abuse animals, then you've got far more serious things to worry about besides criticizing a children's book.



3. This is such a cute book. I read it to my second grade art students and they loved it! The rhyming is very fun and they enjoyed using the rhyme to guess what would happen next in the story. This is one of the most adorable children's books I've ever seen.



4. My son and I were introduced to this book in his music class. The teacher gave all the kids dry paint brushes while she read (sang) the book to them. As the little boy in the story paints each body part a new and interesting color, the children in class are encouraged to "paint" along. What a great way to teach kids about colors and body parts. Oh what the heck, I guess I'll paint my neck! Enjoy



5. This books is brilliant. If you have a child who doesn't like reading, try this book. It has great rhyming, fantastic pictures and is very cheeky. I can't get enough of it and keep reading it myself. My daughter is a big fan too! A must for any home book collection!I Ain't Gonna Paint No More! (Ala Notable Children's Books. Younger Readers (Awards))

4 comments about Birds and Words.

1. I'm a big fan of Charley Harper's art, but what's makes this book so special is Charley's writing. His sense of humor and word play are equal to his paintings! Great gift for all occassions.



2. I have an original copy of this book which was given to me by my grandmother. The art and the text are whimsical and playful but have a strong undercurrent of environmental respect. Mr Harper is brilliant. This book would be worth three times as much as the list price,



3. This book was a very good example of Charley Harper's artwork and how he developed his own style. He was a very unique and interesting artist. I love his work. And his comments that he put with his art is also fun to read. He was a unique artist. I had seen him on Sunday Morning and decided I liked what I saw so decided to pursue purchasing some of his art in books. The preciseness of his art is quite unusual and I am amazed how he enables you to see the birds in their natural habitat by using the utensils he used to create his art. I would love to see some of his silk screen work. He paid attention to detail and color and it is reflected in his work.



4. This book is a gem. We bought it as a gift for our 8 yr. old son who is a bird enthusiast, and my husband and I, both illustrators, love it just as much. Charley Harper's illustrations are at the same time ingenious, gorgeous and often humorous. This is one of my favorite books and a great value too.

5 comments about Andy Goldsworthy: A Collaboration with Nature.

1. I plan to acquire more Andy Goldsworthy albums. His photo art calms the mind, eyes and soul...look at it while listening to your favorite calming music!



2. I was instantly attracted to the cover. I would have liked two things before I purchased. The date of publication and to have access to more pictures in the book. It was a gift and it is loved. I love you people...I love free shipping....it is now a HUGE factor in whether I purchase on line or get in my car and go to the book store.



3. AMAZING - INSPIRING - AWESOME. This book was purchased in tandum with the video "Rivers and Tides". I don't think I could just pick one or the other. What one begins, the other ends and the relationship is perfect. Be inspired - spend time, REAL TIME - looking at these images and reading about his work and his methods. You will look at the world a new way. I am a professional photographer and the photography is gorgous. You can't miss this one.



4. while i bought this book for another, i find it to be pretty good. some pictures aren't up to todays digital quality, but its still great to look at. you won't be disappointed.



5. This lovely, large book was all I had hoped for--and MORE. Great value for the price. I am thrilled to have photos of Andy Goldsworthy's works to look at any time. I had researched buying a print to frame and found few available. The photos in this book could actually be put in frames! The color and detail is beautiful. Friends, adult children, and grandchildren gravitate to this book with each visit. My granddaughter even recognized a coincidental similarity between Andy's "OVERLEAF" and the stacks of "discontinued" grapevines in my back yard. Andy's work is helping us all tune in more deeply to the wonders around us.

2 comments about Cy Twombly: Cycles and Seasons.

1. This is the catalogue for the current Tate exhibition that focuses on Twombly's various series that have marked his long career (the Ferragosto paintings from 1961, the Blackboard paintings from the late 1960's, the Bolsena paintings from 1969, the later Four Seasons cycles, etc). Without being a retrospective, this book sheds a new light on a painter that has gained in stature over the years. It enables the reader to discover a coherence and continuity in an apparently haphazard body of works and shows what a master of color and composition the artist is. The high-quality illustrations add to the value of this book which, in my opinion, is one of the best published recently on the artist (I own more than 20 books on Cy Twombly).



2. Don't be misled by the different total page numbers given for this and the hardback - I ordered both
   and received two versions with the same text and illustrations (the 192 page total is incorrect - it actually
   matches the hardback).
   A wonderful book though, which should be seen as a worthwhile supplement to the recent publications of the
   Leeman monograph and the 50 years of work on paper.
   There is some duplication with the Leeman, but not enough to hold back.

1 comments about Max's Work of Art: A Coloring & Activity Book (Max and Ruby).

1. My granddaughters love Max and Ruby. Next best to watching them on DVD's or TV, has been the coloring and activity book full of good fun and Max And RUBY!!!

5 comments about The Medium is the Massage.

1. ... was profoundly influenced by this book. I read it about 30 years ago. I'm pleasantly surprised to find it still in print.



2. Some of McLuhans stuff is really unaccessible for average readers... It's deep stuff... BUT we see much of what he was talking about occuring in our modern day. It's really interesting. I think if he could have found a better way to present his philosphies he could have really made much more of a difference to our "global community"



3. This book was recommended to me and I bought it. I have no idea what the point of this book is...it's just a bunch of tweaked out pictures. I thought it was...well, I don't know what I was thinking. I wasted ten bucks.



4. Yes, it's amazing that Marshall McLuhan foresaw the internet in the 1960s. However, that is only part of his message. The movement to electronic media not only disrupts print's linear style of communication, it will dismantle traditional hierarchical structures. In a world where the means of communication have been democratized, organizations will move to collaborative environments (wikis, blogs, commenting on articles are only the beginning). Command and control structures exist, because they were the most cost-effective way to manage organizations. You Tube, Facebook, and My Space are mere playthings compared to the dawning revolution. The concept of trademarks and copyrights will be challenged in this "global village." Marshall McLuhan's thoughts are still very relevant, because much of what he predicts is yet to come!



5. This book is filled with un-artful pictures because it has nothing to say. A 3-year-old could produce better artwork, and you'd learn more by picking up a magazine and a coffee at Borders.

1 comments about Silent Exodus: Portraits of Iraqi Refugees in Exile.

1. I received this book today and sat down and read through it. Don't be mistaken, it is not long and it is almost completely pictures. "A picture is worth a thousand words." Never more true has it been than when I sat down with this book. My wife started to read this and had to stop due to the graphic nature of some of the pictures. In addition, almost all of the written text in the book is directly quoted from people who were interviewed. There truly isn't a way to explain what is being said through any other words.
   
   Ultimately this book will do many things, be that infuriate you, inspire you, or simply make you want to cry. Recommend reading this book and deciding for yourself.