Premium Members Get 10% Off and Earn Rewards Find Out More

Cezanne's Parrot

Add to Wishlist

Cezanne's Parrot

eBookEnhanced (NOOK Kids Read to Me - Enhanced)

$7.99

View All Available Formats & Editions

eBook(NOOK Kids Read to Me - Enhanced)
$7.99

View All Available Formats & Editions

Available on Compatible NOOK Devices and the free NOOK Apps.

WANT A NOOK? Explore Now

Buy As Gift

Related collections and offers

Overview

An inspiring picture book biography of the artist Paul Cezanne, the painter who laid the groundwork for modern art and whom Pablo Picasso declared "the father of us all."

All Cezanne wants is to be a great painter like his friends Monet, Pissarro, and Renoir. But when he shows his works, the professors, the critics, and the collectors all dismiss him: "Too flat!" "Too much paint!" "These are rough and unfinished!" Even his own pet parrot, Bisou, can't be brought to say, "Cezanne is a great painter!" And who can blame them? Cezanne doesn't care about tradition, and he doesn't follow the rules. He's painting in a way no one else has done before, creating something completely new--and he's destined to change the world of art forever. Cezanne's Parrot is a spirited celebration of creativity, determination, and perseverance--and the artist who would become known as the father of modern art.

Product Details
About the Author

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780525515098
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	02/11/2020
Sold by:	Penguin Group
Format:	eBook
Pages:	40
Lexile:	AD800L (what's this?)
File size:	60 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Amy Guglielmo is an artist, an arts educator, and an arts advocate. She has co-authored the picture books Pocket Full of Colors: The Magical World of Mary Blair, winner of the Christopher Award, and How to Build a Hug: Temple Grandin and Her Amazing Squeeze Machine. She is also the co-author of the Touch the Art series of novelty board books featuring famous works of art with tactile additions. She lives on Lake Champlain with her husband. Visit her at amyguglielmo.com and on Twitter @amyguglielmo.

Brett Helquist has illustrated many books for children, including the bestselling A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket. He is also the illustrator of the picture books Guitar Genius: How Les Paul Engineered the Solid-Body Electric Guitar and Rocked the World by Kim Tomsic and Martina & Chrissie: The Greatest Rivalry in the History of Sports by Phil Bildner, among others. He lives with his family in Brooklyn, New York. Learn more at bretthelquist.com and on Instagram @bhelquist.

From the B&N Reads Blog

Page 1 of

Editorial Reviews

12/02/2019
Cézanne, the late 19th-century French painter, has lofty ambitions, and he wants his new parrot Bisou to acknowledge them: “Can you say, ‘Cézanne is a great painter’?” he instructs the bird. Cézanne rejects heroic subjects and traditional techniques. “While other artists painted flawless details with tiny brushes... Cézanne preferred thick paint and heavy marks.” He’s not a fast-working impressionist like his friend Monet, either. Cézanne paints agonizingly slowly, and sometimes he’s dissatisfied. At last, though, he gains recognition from the art world—and from his avian companion, too. Helquist (Guitar Genius) illustrates Cézanne’s story with boldly outlined and modeled figures in detailed period costume. His versions of Cézanne’s own paintings capture the painter’s lavish strokes and earthen tones. Spoken remarks—especially gossipy comments about Cézanne’s paintings (“Too dark!” “Too crude!”)—often appear in speech balloons. By examining the hard work and frustration that often lies behind what can look like inevitable celebrity, Guglielmo (How to Build a Hug) makes a solid case for understanding Cézanne as a painter who followed his own vision. An author’s note distinguishes between the historical record and fictional invention. Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Stephen Barbara, InkWell Management. Illustrator’s agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (Feb.)

Publishers Weekly

"Sumptuously illustrated . . . charming and informative." —The Wall Street Journal

"An inviting, playful introduction to an influential painter." —Booklist

"Readers will find this portrait of an artist distinctive, useful, and appealing." —Kirkus Reviews

"This is a great picture book that demonstrates the value of determination, creativity, and self-worth. Children in kindergarten to second grade will enjoy the storyline and the harmonious and colorful illustrations." —School Library Connection

"By examining the hard work and frustration that often lies behind what can look like inevitable celebrity, Guglielmo makes a solid case for understanding Cézanne as a painter who followed his own vision." —Publishers Weekly

"There is beauty in the process, this clever book teaches the reader." —Romper

From the Publisher

03/13/2020
PreS-Gr 3—In this picture book biography, struggling artist Cezanne and his parrot, Bisou, live together in the French countryside. Cezanne's work has been poorly received by art critics in Paris. He is surrounded by a circle of high-achieving artists, but gains no popularity when he bucks tradition by working more slowly than his peers, choosing common, everyday subjects to feature, and by painting with bold confidence instead of refined delicacy. Rather than imitate his predecessors, Cezanne wants to try something new. He seeks to bolster his self-esteem by asking Bisou to say "Cezanne is a great painter," but even the bird stubbornly refuses, displaying a humorous apathy towards all attempts to train him to speak. The artist's life changes overnight when he is invited to exhibit with a like-minded group of creatives and then returns to work with a rejuvenated spirit of determination. The resulting still lifes of fruit are so winsome that Bisou approves. Exquisitely painted illustrations are paired with the text; of particular note are an early spread of Cezanne working with Bisou in a meadow and an impressive series depicting the artist laboring in nine different attitudes. The illustration is everything one would want in a book about Cezanne: bold brushstrokes, heavy lines, and a color scheme that incorporates many of the browns, blues, and greens reminiscent of Cezanne's own artistic sensibilities. Helquist skillfully expresses Cezanne's changing feelings of worry, defeat, and eventual triumph by employing carefully crafted facial expressions and body postures to convey what the artist is thinking. Helquist's depiction of Bisou is equally expressive and animated, with great detailing in the feathers. VERDICT This brilliantly illustrated picture book shares a meaningful message about how to handle criticism, being true to yourself, and finding your crew. Recommended for nonfiction collections.—Lauren Younger, University of Dallas Library

School Library Journal

2019-10-27
Guglielmo seizes on Bisou, Paul Cézanne's pet parrot, as an entree into the life and work of the artist whom Pablo Picasso acclaimed as the father of 20th-century painting.
Paul Cézanne was a nearly stereotypical struggling artist who abandoned his middle-class roots in Aix-en-Provence to carve out an art career in late-19th-century Paris. Neurotic, more than a bit depressed, and misanthropic, Cézanne was the odd man out among the impressionists. He was stolid and solid; they flew near the sun. Discouraged by his lack of conventional success, he found a sassy studio companion. Bisou was a clever mix of pet and service animal whom he trained to squawk an affirmation: "Cézanne is a great painter!" It worked. Cézanne worked. He became obsessively devoted to modeled tabletop still lifes, portraits, and figures (The Bathers, The Card Players, etc.). He finally exhibited and…he sold. Guglielmo does a good job focusing on the value of artistic persistence, but she relies only on Bisou for a hook, not taking the opportunity to incorporate the very kid-friendly character of Cézanne's son, Paul (the subject of nine portraits and countless drawings). Helquist contributes oil-on-paper illustrations that approximate Cézanne's palette and still-life skills, though the figures sometime border on the cartoony. Characters all present white.
Readers will find this portrait of an artist distinctive, useful, and appealing. (author's note, selected bibliography, source notes, list of paintings) (Picture book/biography. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews

Related collections and offers

Overview

Product Details

About the Author

Related Subjects

Customer Reviews