5 comments about Linnea in Monet's Garden.

1. Linnea, a young Swedish girl has developed quite a friendship with the elderly Mr. Bloom, her upstairs neighbor. Mr. Bloom is a retired gardener who is the proud owner of a lovely book about the great French artist, Claude Monet. After hours and hours of studying Monet and his life, the pair begin the ultimate adventure: a trip to Paris, and where it all began! Linnea and Mr. Bloom visit the Marmottan museum to observe the many paintings of Monet. They study his artwork and how the genius painted. They learn about other Impressionist artists--many who were great friends of Monet. Eventually the young child and elderly gentleman make the ultimate trek to Giverny, where Monet lived and painted.
   This book could almost be a 'fun' textbook. The artwork, both of the author's and of Monet's is absolutely exquisite. Becoming familiar with Monet's life and his paintings become a marvelous art history lesson. As an adult, I not enjoyed reading this lovely book but I learned a lot. In fact, a few days after reading LINNEA in Monet's Garden I was watching a Sex in the City episode where Charlotte was showing a group of people one of Monet's 'lily' murals. Being familiar with that painting because of this book was an exciting moment for me!



2. I absolutely LOVED this book when I was younger. So, if you're having doubts about your child liking it, I wouldn't...I had the doll of Linnea and I carried it around with me everywhere...and I also brought the book everywhere I could as well.



3. Fabulous book about places I have visited and loved -- I actually
   know Michelle who owns the Hotel Esmerelda (she will autograph my
   copy of book), and have spent many happy hours in the bookstore
   around the corner (never go to Paris without visiting it), and
   of course, Monet's art and home are the pinnacle. A wonderful
   and inspirational book for all!



4. This is a delightful living book. An opportunity to learn a lot about Monet, his work and his life while enjoying a beautifully told story.



5. This book is one of my little girl's favorite books and it was a great introduction to Monet for the entire family. Our children also enjoyed the DVD version.

No comments about Claude Monet 2009 Wall Calendar.

1 comments about Georgia O'Keeffe 2009 Engagement Calendar.

1. Great desk calendar. I love Georgia Okeefe and it is a nice collection of her work.

3 comments about The Spirit of Horses 2009 Calendar.

1. God's most noble creature is portrayed in this gorgeous calendar by brilliant artist, Leslie Harrison.



2. My calendar is beautiful... but it took a VERY long time to get here! Other than that, I am very satisfied with the product. Thanks.



3. Any horse lover will appreciate and value the artwork of Lesley Harrison. I have been purchasing her calendars for years now and it has become a must have for me and is an appreciated gift for my friends who love horses. Anyone who loves and appreciates fine art and gifted talent will enjoy her calendars. Some people think her paintings are photographs at first - that's how incredible Ms. Harrison's art work is! Treat yourself and anyone else you know that love horses and appreciate fine art.

No comments about Monet: Water Lilies: The Complete Series.

5 comments about The Magical Garden of Claude Monet (Anholt's Artists Books for Children).

1. I have long been a fan of Linnea in Monet's Garden - so I was very excited to find this new series of books by Laurence Anholt. Anholt's approach to introducing children to these artists - he has covered Monet, Picasso, Van Gogh, Degas, and DaVinci - is to use their art to create the backgrounds and settings for his characters. This book in particular is my favorite of the series because it is crowned with a fold out of Monet's vivid Waterlilies with a tiny boat floating across it carrying the story's members - Monet and a little girl who happens upon his garden. Before it is over, the little girl plucks one of the lilies from the famous painting as a memoir. My daughter loves this picture - and it is almost surreal to me to see Monet's art coming to life in such a manner. I can hardly wait until she visits the museum and sees the real painting. Watching her make this connection should be very exciting.
   
   Aside from this stunning mixture of Monet's work and Anholt's own lush artwork - carefully drawn to compliment the featured art - the book gives some great educational information about Monet by weaving it into the story - all this without ever starting to sound like a textbook. The story retains its' focus and its' charm without becoming boring. That is an amazing accomplishment in my opinion.
   
   I hope to purchase the entire set for a lovely and educational Christmas gift. These are sure to become beloved classics. Any children's book that learns to entertain both child and parent equally often does.



2. The Magical Garden of Claude Monet is a great way to expose young children to impressionist art. My son loved the story of Julie in Monet's garden. Julie is a young French girl who takes a train with her Mother to visit Monet's garden. As they arrive into the countryside, her dog runs away and is found in Monet's garden. Soon the painter and Julie become friends. The illustrations are bright and colorful. You almost feel as if you are inside one of Monet's paintings. Children will be captivated by the story as well as the beautiful pictures.



3. Fine art apprecation was a lost thing among adults let alone children, encouraging an understanding of art at a young age will encorage intrest in art in children and their caregivers alike. Help kids enjoy art and culture while reading a fun story. With this book, (and the others in the series) they introduce kids to the famous artworks of great painters throughout history while encoraging a childs imagination to be creative and tell a story with each picture.
   
   This story is even better because it is based on factual people, even the little girl. She embarks on a journey with her mother to visit a friend..the little girl ends up chasing her runaway dog on the trip and finds herself in a most magnificent garden..only to find out that is the "friend" they were going to visit. This book is wonderful, historical, educational, and fun. It encourages children to think about paintings, and to form images and stories for each one, to think about "what would it be like to be inside that painting".



4. Anholt's lovely book about Monet is my favorite of the series about famous artists. He demystifies impressionism and actually inspires children to paint their own "magical gardens"!!



5. What a beautifully illustrated book! This was a wonderful book based on a true story. I used it with pre-schoolers and they really enjoyed the story as well as the beautiful artwork. I highly recommend it!

No comments about Sun Moon Stars 2009 Wall Calendar (Calendar).

1 comments about Coca-Cola 2009 Calendar.

1. I always put up a Coca-Cola calendar in my office. I look for the ones that portray the ads I remember as a child. This one is perfect for that.

No comments about Thiebaud 2009 Wall Calendar.

3 comments about John William Waterhouse 2009 Wall Calendar.

1. This is a lovely, high quality calendar for those who love romantic Victorian paintings. Many of the paintings (all are of women) are quite theatrical in nature. A brief description of each month and the featured painting follows. January gives us "Cleopatria". February features "Hylas and the Nymphs" (some are topless so beware to those who blush easily). March's painting is "The Annuciation". April is appropriately seasonal with "Spring". May gives us "Saint Cecilia". June is my personal favorite "Gather Your Rosebuds While Ye May". "The Shrine" is the July selection. A particularly lovely "Destiny" is the August choice. "The Lady Clare" graces September. It's another very dramatic scene for October with "Mariamne Leaving the Judgement Seat of Herod". Blushers be aware again in November with "The Danaides" and the year closes with "The Soul of the Rose" for December. Phases of the moon and major holidays are clearly marked and an insert is included that features holidays celebrated in countries ranging from Argentina to Thailand.



2. Pomegranate continues to delight art-lovers with its wall-calendar devoted to the work of that beloved painter of the Victorian and Edwardian periods, John William Waterhouse. 2008's Waterhouse calendar featured several ever-popular paintings and several rarities; 2009's happens to contain most of my favorite paintings by the artist. Among these are SAINT CECILIA, THE ANNUNCIATION, THE SHRINE, THE SOUL OF THE ROSE, GATHER YE ROSEBUDS WHILE YE MAY, SPRING, and THE DANAIDES. Also present are two relative rarities, CLEOPATRA and MARIAMNE LEAVING THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF HEROD. The latter is a strikingly dramatic painting that deserves to be reproduced more often, and its inclusion here makes the calendar even more valuable for me. The reproductions themselves are all beautifully vivid; title, year, measurements, and current location are included for each. For the next twelve months this latest edition of the John William Waterhouse calendar will have a cherished place on my wall.



3. This is a gorgeous calendar. The quality is good, as are the picture choices. I am a big fan of JW Waterhouse: his Neo-Classical paintings are both powerful and elegant.