School Library Journal Review
Gr 3-6-What distinguishes this title from other alphabetic art books is the surprising collection of works that the authors have chosen to showcase. Guery and Dussutour venture outside the canon to feature artists such as Robert Combas, Robert Delaunay, and Kazimir Malevitch, and lesser-known works by the likes of Van Gogh, Matisse, and Picasso. Readers are challenged by representational and abstract paintings spanning seven centuries, as the text encourages close inspection of the art. The letter "R" can be found in Magritte's The Art of Conversation, and an "L" hiding in Hieronymus Bosch's The Wayfarer. Further, each painting encourages discussion about content, style, and intent. The works are reproduced in full at the back, with the letter highlighted and including an explanatory paragraph about the artist or the painting. Facing each piece of art is a page with a large representation of the letter to be looked for, the title and artist of the work, and text that gives a clue about how the letter is to be found. This rich, well-thought-out book can be paired with Bob Raczka's 3-D ABC (Millbrook, 2006) for a broad representation of art forms.-Paula Willey, Baltimore County Public Library, Towson, MD (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Originally published in France, this eclectic book asks readers to locate letters of the alphabet embedded in 26 paintings by artists including Mondrian, Dali, Van Gogh, and Modigliani. Some are easy to find: C is a sliver of moon in Chagall's The Crow Who Wanted to Imitate the Eagle. Others, like the K hidden in Robert Delaunay's Champ de Mars: Red Tower, will take more effort. A key in the back shows each letter's location, along with background. The emphasis is on imagination and art appreciation rather than learning the ABCs. Ages 3-6. (Dec.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Kirkus Review
This attractive volume, produced in a nicely squared-off (10" X 10") size, beckons readers within with the bright oranges and warm red tones of Fernand Lger's Still Life, ABC (1927). Children will enjoy this rambunctious hide-and-seek ramble through paintings representing a variety of styles and periods in Western art. In a succession of 26 two-page spreads, readers are encouraged to search each letter in turn within the images on the facing page. (The "answers" are cleverly presented in the back of the book, where the images are reproduced in grey tones while the sought-for letter is highlighted in red. Basic information about each work of art and the artist also appears here.) While some of the picture puzzles are easier than others to decode, by book's end children will have become practiced in looking at and thinking about a wide variety of images. Developed and kid-tested by two Parisian primary-school teachers, this is a handsome, engaging way to develop an appreciation and familiarity with fine art through playful interaction. (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
In this import from France, readers are challenged to find a hidden letter of the alphabet in each of 26 paintings. The attractive design features a large representation of the letter in white against a colored background on the left page. The text is the same for each letter ( Find the letter __ hiding in this painting by __ ), and the artist's full name and the title and date of the painting appear in smaller type at the bottom. A reproduction of the painting fills the right page. Answers and a brief paragraph about the artist and the painting are provided in the back matter. Although the paintings were all created by male Western European, American, and Russian artists, with 17 of the 26 from the twentieth century, many in an abstract style, they still represent a pleasing diversity. A successful early introduction to artists and styles.--Enos, Randall Copyright 2009 Booklist
