Artists Books

The Tale of Cuckoo Brow Wood covering 24th of April 1907 to May 1st, is the third of the Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter by Susan Wittig Albert. Miss Felicia Frummety is not keeping the rat population down at Hill Top Farm and the village cats have issued an ultimatum. Ridley Rattail has had it with the rowdy rats that have moved into the attic so he posts an ad for cats to rid himself of these undesirables. Of course the humans have their share of problems, Major Kittridge has returned to Sawrey with a wife, dashing the hope of Dimity Woodcock. The village is invited to meet the new lady of the manor but rumors are rampant when it's learned she was an actress. There's also the rumor that the Major is planning to develop his shoreline property. The Vicar's cousin and his wife have moved in and the Vicar is far too kind to toss them even after they've outstayed his patience. Jeremy Crosfield, who is an excellent student, has to leave school and start his apprenticeship since he can't afford to continue his schooling -- the animals and humans are concerned about this event. And Beatrice arrives once again to spend some time at her farm.

Okay, up front I have to say I'm really enjoying these books. The interweaving of the various threads balancing the point of view of the humans and the animals is seamless. With each book, I gain more respect for Albert's ability to slip her stories into the undocumented bits of the Beatrix Potter timeline. She also maintains that playful seriousness that I also found in the Potter's little books. The characters are fully developed and while the mysteries are light they are ones that would have serious impact on the people of the story and their environment.

In this story, the small folk of the woods, fairies play a part. Are they real? Well I think that's for each of us to decide, and the author plays the story with a light hand to give us all a chance to believe as we will. After all if you can accept talking animals then are fairies that much of a stretch?

These are perfect books for when you are feeling a bit down. They are just the thing to help restore your believe in the inherent goodness of humankind and to help you see the world around in a different light. No, I don't think the author has a message to hit us with; she just tells a good story with a light touch that leaves us feeling more upbeat and in this summer's heat that's a wonder in itself.

My wife read it from cover to cover in two days, what more can I say. Too bad I'm not a murder mystery fan...

If the village of Near Sawrey put out its weekly newspaper about the fortnight during which this story takes place, some of the headlines would read: "Major Christopher Kittredge returns to Raven Hall with his Lovely New Bride" and "Rat Explosion at Hill Top Farm Threatens Village" and "Village Plans May Day Celebration" and perhaps "Stay Clear of the Cuckoo Brow Wood on May Eve." The society column might feature: "Miss Beatrix Potter Returns to Hill Top Farm" and "Local Society Attends Grand Reception at Raven Hall." As salacious as these headlines might be, the devil is in the details.

The third in Susan Wittig Albert's Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter series continues to enchant both grownups and young women edging toward adulthood. How lovely it is to curl up with a book about an old-fashioned, out-of-the-way English Lake Country village, complete with sheep birthing lambs and delectable smells coming from the village bakery, with dogs, cats, rats, and other four-legged animals conversing so sensibly. With just that, however, the tale could become dull in no time. So throw in a few wicked, scheming adults, some rowdy, shameless rats, a few mercenary cats, a bit of romance, some children who need a bit of help, and, of course, Miss Potter, and you have a rousing tale.

Albert builds the tale and weaves multiple plots with skill and charm. And all is resolved satisfactorily, except for the question of whether or not there are really fairies in Cuckoo Brow Wood. To find out what the story is behind each headline, you must read and revel in The Tale of Cuckoo Brow Wood.

by Judith Helburn
for Story Circle Book Reviews
www.storycirclebookreviews.org
reviewing books by, for, and about women

These are just wonderful stories - for children, for fans of Beatix Potter, for anyone who enjoys mystery and fantasy. I picked up these books quite by accident, and found them reminiscent of my old favorite classics like "A Secret Garden." Very interesting stories - both as stand alone books and as part of the series.

This third book in the Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter is just as much fun and as charming as the first two. It makes you want to find the Potter illustrations from her "little books," so that the faces and personalities of the people involved in the stories become even more familiar.
With the world as it is now, it's a joy (and a relief) to immerse oneself in the world of a century ago with the friends one met in childhood.

To find out how far short this book falls from many of the great drawings of Van Gogh you can go online and find many drawings not found in this book.There are many sites to look at Vincent's work. With zooming and enlarging the drawings you will have a better idea of the work . So many of the ink drawings of Van Gogh have faded. One of his greatest drawings of trees is in the Art Institute of Chicago.It is illustrated here.The authors miss the central importance of Vincent's work. His use of the reed pen was painterly. He used the reed pen as a brush technique.He drew ,many times when he was out of paints or waiting for canvases from Theo. The catalogue is useful in relating the drawings to his paintings . Often in a nearby page .Catalogues are great as a way of remembering and reviewing an important exhibit.This is an enormously ambitious book from the Metropolitan Museum. It falls short, as I think it would be much better to have a compact disk of the images.I have books on Van Gogh's stuff that I used to show my drawing classes.A book of this weight doesn't full fill the need of something you wish to carry with you.To have a major show of drawings in an era of installation art , I salute the museum's acknowledgement of the importance of these drawings. It is in the drawings that Van Gogh's reputation will continue to grow . His palette was unprecedented in the early 20th century. Since then, his command of color composition doesn't hold up to later developments.

a wonderful memory of a once in a lifetime exhibit. 7 years of drawing before he ever picked up a brush....

The book is much more technical than the "Letter" book I recently read. I enjoy that because I have always wanted to know how he painted or drew his pictures as well as how is life and painting developed.

This is the catalogue for a 2005 exhibit at the Met. A valuable addition to the literature on Van Gogh, it encompasses his whole career as a draughtsman, and a brilliant one of course. The images are perfect (you sometimes get the impression that you are holding the actual drawing) and the text very helpful, giving sizes, provenances and many excerpts of Van Gogh's own letters.I remember visiting the exhibition in crammed rooms on a saturday afternoon, therefore I was glad to be able to savour it once again in a quieter atmosphere, thanks to the book.

Lord Kenneth Clark, at the end of his book and television series, Civilization, said he had come to believe that there was such a thing as "genius". After looking through this book, so will you.

With over 350 drawings, mostly reproduced in color, and dozens more color reproductions of paintings, this will no doubt be the definitive work of the artist's drawings. We see many of his early drawings, including those enhanced with chalk, watercolor, etc. We see the drawings and watercolors done in preparation for his paintings and then we see the paintings themselves.

But the high points of the book are the three drawings in pen and ink done after each of the paintings and intended as reproductions of those works. He wanted a means to share these paintings with three different correspondents: John Russell, Emile Bernard and his brother Theo. He obviously couldn't afford the oil and canvas to reproduce each painting three more times. These laborious drawings were executed and mailed to individuals with whom Van Gogh wanted to share his work (and perhaps impress), or, in the case of his brother, to also show his love and appreciation. Slight variations among the three drawings after the same painting show further, "post-oil" development of each subject and give us additional insight into his style and his thinking. The color reproductions of his drawings allow us to see how the ink on each has faded over time and a 100-year old reproduction of a drawing shows us how the original has faded over time. Because virtually all of the drawings done as a mature artist were on 9-1/2 by 11-1/2 sheets, the reproductions in the book are almost actual size.

Fortunately, both Bernard and Theo's widow and heirs believed very strongly in his work, including his drawings, and ignored the advice of critics to throw it all away. They continued to promote the artist's work after his death, eventually leading to his broader recognition over the following decades. If you appreciate great drawing, this is a "must have" book.

Quizas la mejor publicacion sobre Wyeth jamas realizada... casi todas sus Obras Maestras impresas con una calidad impecable...si te intereza la obra de Wyeth, este es el libro.

A very nice,well done coffee table book.....the thing is-this guy is 90 years old and has done thousands of paintings...why do the same plates keep showing up book after book after book for the last 4 decades? I've seen 90% of these already! Where's the rest??

A large format exhibition catalogue, a slightly over square volume printed on quality art paper. The introduction discusses Wyeth's development and output in relation to other artists; this is followed by four essays covering various aspects of the artist's work. These sections are illustrated throughout almost entirely in colour with examples of Wyeth's work and comparative examples of other's, many of them at a good size. The main section of full colour plates commences on age 122 and concludes on page 209. This is followed by a detailed list of works in the exhibition; there is no chronology or bibliography.

The main section of plates presents the images one to a page, and many are of a good size. Inevitably the long landscape proportion images do not fare so well, with the publishers seemingly reluctant to cross the gutter, these appear as little more than a three or four inch wide strip across the page; even a number of the more regularly proportioned works could easily have been reproduced larger. However that aside it is a fine volume, beautifully produced and with a feel of quality, which offers over 150 examples of Wyeth's output including paintings, watercolours and drawings reproduced in full colour.

As a collector of books by and about Andrew Wyeth, I must say this is a tasteful and beautifully produced art book with insightful essays by five excellent writers who know their subject well. Wyeth has been around for a long time and started fading from public consciousness after the "Helga Affair" -- undeservedly so. To my mind he is still one of America's greatest 20th century cultural treasures. The book resulted from a retrospective exhibit of Wyeth's work in 2005/2006. My only reservation about the book is that it shows too many of Wyeth's pieces that are in all the other books about his work. But that may be Wyeth's choice and must be respected.

The book was well written, interesting, and informative. Color plates depicting Wyeth's paintings were bright and clear. The book arrived timely and in excellent condition. Well satisfied.

If you are familar with Amy Brown than you already know how fun her art is. I personally bought this particular book for some tatoo ideas. Her fairies all seem to have personalities of their own.

Outstanding book - gorgeous images... Fairyland at it's very best. The book is full of imaginative designs, which you can easily see inspired so many other artists. A treasure to add to your collection!

Amy's art is absolutely incredible, especially when the designs just come into her mind, all she has to do is paint them!

Get this book together with her volume II, you won't regret it. The first one is more in neutral colours, the second one more colourful.

Fasinating and full of aura. I especially liked her Gothic style. Mystical and magical. It is a book that one can enjoy browsing the pages, scrutinizing the drawings and learning more about Amy Brown's experiences. The best book any fairy fan can have.

This is a great book for any fairy lover or art lover. The watercolors are beautiful. Her art has a wide range from beautiful/cute, dark/gothic, humorous and so on. A great collection of art.

I was completely over the moon when I looked at the pictures in this book. Never knew how beautiful freemotion embroidery can be. I often see quilts that are a bit "common", but I like the special effects that Annemieke (my namesake) can make with thread, adorable book!

The artwork is gorgeous, the layout and design stunning. One of the most beautiful art books I own.

Absolutely stunning work using fibers, paint and fabric...plus an eye for nature. This artist is amazing and dedicated to her craft. I would love to see what she is doing now as this book shows her development of this unique style...one that is truly hers...up to the late 1980s to early 1990s. I consider this a beautiful addition to my high end coffee table books and my friends who visit agree. Classic.

This is one of the most incredible books that I have seen. The artwork is phenomenal. This is book not only qualifies as an instructional guide but as a coffee table book. It is a feast for the eyes.

What inspired me most in this book was the fact that the artist works with a very old and simple sewing machine, and she manages to create some of the most unique quilts I have seen. I could spend hours and hours just looking at the photos. The subject matter is highly realistic, and has a lot of butterflies, moths, birds, and other wildlife. I would recommend this book as an excellent gift for yourself or for a really good friend.

This book is truly a work of art!

The eminently talented Michael Whelan showcases his treasures in this large-size, full-color coffee table book.

With his superb attention to detail and boundless imagination, MW has created fantastic worlds. Here, he catalogues his numerous book covers (all genres of Science Fiction, and all genres of Fantasy, and other areas), paintings, and assorted works (he paints not just for a living but for his own enjoyment, evident in the many small sketches included throughout the book).

MW himself describes each piece. He isn't an artist who simply creates a cover when commissioned; he reads the text of the book he will be making a cover for. This is what makes his book cover art so wonderful. In my mind, his cover art for "Catspaw" and "The Snow Queen" are every bit as memorable as the stories they were made for. He details everything minutely: the curling edges of a drying leaf, the dust stain in a fold of clothing, a nick on the blade of a warrior's battle-ax, a snarl in a lock of hair, the markings on a spaceship lifting off from a background launch pad, the clearing sky reflected in a dangling pane of broken glass, the frayed edges of a worn rope attached to a forgotten bell. And that's just the little stuff in the background.

What sets this book aside from other art books is the fact that this book is made for people who like to LOOK at the art. Nearly half of the pieces featured here are full-page size, with the text/description and sketches, studies, details, alternative concepts on the facing page. Too many art books tend to squeeze pictures into small squares on a page. None of that here. The colors are sharp and vivid. The edges are sharp and crisp. The paper used is heavy glossy paper. There are three chapters (interviews, introduction, technical aspects) printed on heavy parchment-like paper. The book itself is clothbound in matte midnight black, embossed in gold. The publishers spared no expense in making this book.

And here's something I haven't seen in other art books: the 85+ full page plates are indexed in a back section of the book. Shrunk down to B&W postage-stamp size, you can glance through to quickly find your favorite picture.

The work represented here covers everything from dragons, winged lions, medieval castles, futuristic alien castles, strange aliens, bustling spaceports, nature settings, warriors of every type, humans and much more. Each picture is worth a thousand words indeed.

The paper cover/dustjacket features "Passage: The Avatar" (the breathtaking blue ruins) on the front and "The Summer Queen" on the back, both are featured inside the book. This is a plus, as many times the dustjacket art is counted among the represented work.

Very highly recommended.

Michael Whelan's style is gorgeously captured in this state-of-the art book. If you are a fan of Michael Whelan's airbrush art or his private collection, you will find something in this book for you. It includes most of the passages paintings, the more famous covers (even the loathsome fuzzies), and many of Michael Whelan's unpublished work. The latter is what makes the book worth buy - I wish the book contained more of it and less of the cover art. I recommend this book for any fantasy art collector.

I have taught Art in High School for 30 years. Micheal's work in this book is absolutely the most creative and detailed I have ever seen. His pictures take into many dreamworlds. You will want to get lost in these paintings. Every inch of Micheal's canvases are detailed with great skill. You won't want to put this book down!

...To look at Michael Whelan's art is to look into a mind so brilliant and vivid that only a hand guided by God could create such pictures... Get this book if you like "actual" scenes from other worlds.

"The Art of Michael Whelan" is a great book for art lovers. This book is a enormous and varied collection, divided into Whelan's commercial work of sci-fi and fantasy book covers and his personal paintings, most with a fantasy and nature theme. Additionally, there are interviews with the artist about his materials, methods and history in the field. Every painting is commented on, and the symbolism and story behind each picture adds to the enjoyment of each work, as well as the little preliminary sketches that show different paths the paintings could have taken. If you're a reader of fantasy and sci-fi, like me, you're sure to spot a few favorite books among this selection - Whelan has painted book covers for writers such as Anne McCaffrey, Stephen King, and Tad Williams. The best part of these works is how they can manage to look fantastic and surreal and still make you feel as if you're looking at something that actually exists. Every time I've looked through this book I notice new details. Michael Whelan's other two fantasy collections, "Works of Wonder" and "Wonderworks," are good, but nothing compared to this treasury. I recommend this great book to anyone with an interest in great art and fantasy, you won't be disappointed.

Richard Diebenkorn has finally achieved the status of Modern Master, but his success was only secured later in his life and after his death. Although he was at first an Abstract Expressionist artist who painted as convincingly as Still, Rothko, Kline and Motherwell, he was too much identified with the Bay Area, and therefore he did not have the imprimatur of the New York critics. Then, in the 1950s, he was viewed as having betrayed the New York Abstract Expressionists, when he turned to figurative painting with David Park and Elmer Bischoff. Eventually, until his death, he returned to abstraction with his much-acclaimed "Ocean Park" series. And then the critics finally realized what had eluded them for years: That Diebenkorn painted abstract realism, leaning more to one and then the other, all his life.

Jane Livingston does a fine job of portraying the life of Richard Diebenkorn through his stunning paintings, which exemplify fire beneath the calm. Be sure to read the Norland book as well, since his book is still the seminal book on Diebenkorn.

This book provides an excellent overview of the arc of Diebenkorn's painting style, from abstract to figurative and then to his final amazing abstracts. This is a good starting point for understanding Diebenkorn's art, with large beautiful color prints of his paintings. And, because it's a paperback edition, it's pretty affordable for an oversized, color fine arts book.

Great reference on Diebenkorn with lots of color plates and in-depth text on the process of his work. It was recommended by my professor and I keep it by my easel!

If you love the Bay Are Figurative movement as much as I do, this book is the definitive volume.

This is a great collection of Diebenkorn's work through the years. Though it's a paperback, the book is big, sturdy, and will last a long time. The color plates are very true to his original works.

This book was purchased for a college research project and it was just perfect. It talks of Kandinsky's color theory and how music and color co-exist. The seller was professional and I got the book when it was promised. I would order from this seller again...definately!

Wassilly Kadinsky was a 20th century painter and his CONCERNING THE SPIRITUAL IN ART provides a blend of philosophical, spiritual and artistic reflection as it examines the premises and presence of spirituality in art. This new edition is a recommended pick not just for art students of modernism, but for readers of spiritual works: it includes letters between Kadinsky and Sadler, unpublished prose poems, and a fine attention to artistic reflection and analysis.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

I enjoyed reading the book. At times it was over my head,but still it was worth the effort!!!!

Kandinsky had risen to positions of influence in other disciplines (political science/economics and law) before directing his considerable intellect to painting. His insights extended into the historic 'meta' trends of the arts and sciences, including the physical sciences, and had his interests been directed more to the history and philosophy of science instead of the history and philosophy of art, he might have written Kuhn's observations regarding paradigm change a half century before Kuhn did: "Here and there are people with eyes which can see, minds which can correlate. They say to themselves: 'If the science of the day before yesterday is rejected by the people of yesterday, and that of yesterday by us of today, is it not possible that what we call science now will be rejected by the men of tomorrow?' And the bravest of them answer, 'It is possible.'"

Instead, Kandinsky extended the frontiers of painting and authored philosophic writings on the future of art that are among the most important of such works. M.T.H. Sadler, who translated this work into English, was a friend of Kandinsky's and was among his early admirers. The notes he has written in the front of the book (Translator's Introduction) are therefore more helpful than could be the opinions of many other critics, including myself:

"Anyone who has studied Gauguin will be aware of the intense spiritual value of his work. The man is a preacher and a psychologist, universal by his very unorthodoxy, fundamental because he goes deeper than civilization. In his disciples this great element is wanting.

"Kandinsky has supplied the need. He is not only on the track of an art more purely spiritual than was conceived even by Gauguin, but he has achieved the final abandonment of all representative intention. In this way he combines in himself the spiritual and technical tendencies of one great branch of Post-Impressionism.

"The question most generally asked about Kandinsky's art is: 'What is he trying to do?' It is to be hoped that this book will do something towards answering the question. But it will not do everything. This--partly because it is impossible to put into words the whole of Kandinsky's ideal, partly because in his anxiety to state his case, to court criticism, the author has been tempted to formulate more than is wise. His analysis of colours and their effects on the spectator is not the real basis of his art, because, if it were, one could, with the help of a scientific manual, describe one's emotions before his pictures with perfect accuracy. And this is impossible.

"Kandinsky is painting music. That is to say, he has broken down the barrier between music and painting, and has isolated the pure emotion which, for want of a better name, we call the artistic emotion. Anyone who has listened to good music with any enjoyment will admit to an unmistakable but quite indefinable thrill. He will not be able, with sincerity, to say that such a passage gave him such visual impressions, or such a harmony roused in him such emotions. The effect of music is too subtle for words. And the same with this painting of Kandinsky's. Speaking for myself, to stand in front of some of his drawings or pictures gives a keener and more spiritual pleasure than any other kind of painting. But I could not express in the least what gives the pleasure. Presumably the lines and colours have the same effect as harmony and rhythm in music have on the truly musical. That psychology comes in no one can deny."

Some aspects of Kandinsky's color theory are dubious, at best they cannot be universalized, and Kandinsky sees this. But other of his ideas and arguments are widely accepted among artists, even as being self-evident. Stating that "there is no 'must' in art, because art is free," that is, free to address external representations OR "the inner need," to merely chase after material 'objects' OR to wrestle with the mysteriously spiritual, to somehow meld the two visions OR to stay purely to exploration of the spiritual high ground, Kandinsky absolutely rejects the materialistic expectation of an art "explanation" that has been articulated by EO Wilson in his unfortunate daydream 'Consilience' (Wilson knows ants better than he knows humans, and is given to understanding humans to be essentially ant equivalents).

Anyone interested in art history, painting of the past century, or the relationships/correlations/divergences of the various arts (visual, musical, literary), as well as anyone interested in the meaning and purpose of art, or in the philosophy of aesthetics, should read this important book, perhaps more than once.

Kandinsky throws his ideas out in a slightly esoteric manner. It make take a few rereads to really grasp the quality of discourse he presents. But, in the end, his commentary shines brightly through his comparisons of music to painting. The spiritual triangle is comparable to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. It is important to remember that Kandinsky is not using the term "spiritual" in a religious sense.
This book is a very good read for anyone feeling slumped in their art making. And for anyone who wants to expose themselves to ways of thinking about art. By the third time I had read the material I had underlined and highlighted almost every line and filled all the margins with notes. The book is fantastic. It is especially good when paired with Hans Hofmann's essay "In Search for the Real." Although the ideas in the two books do not parallel. In fact the lines aren't even on the same page. Kandinksky's critiques of other familiar artists are very interesting too. Names like picasso and Cezanne pop up quite a bit.
I'll stop rambling now. Read the book, it is very good.

A more artistic interpretation of the traditionally print-driven journal, Dan Eldon's records are colorful and compelling.

This is a very moving and powerful book from someone who was so young. It documents a movement of change and how Dan Eldon could find beauty in the simplest of things. The imagery will stay with you long after you've put the book down.

I love this book. The story of Dan Eldon is one everyone should read. It will change your perception of the world and how you live your life.

It's a shame Kathy(his mother) never wrote this book.
By far the most imtimate and well written part of this book was the last chapter that Kathy Eldon wrote.
Obviously Jennifer New loves Dan's life like we all do but unfortuneatly she never met him and that glaringly stands out in the biography. There is way too much creative license here,the fact he is raised to almost sainthood can be squeemish at times.Jennifer's writing leaves a lot to be desired, but through the clumsy writing you can't helped but be inspired by the life of Dan Eldon.
Dan is amazing!! His photos say more about him than any bunch of words can. 'The Journey is the destination" is a must have book!!
Flip through that and I guarentee your life will be changed forever!

I purchased both The Journey is the Destination and The Art of Life on the same day. Over the next two days, I rotated the books as I couldn't decide on which one to read first. Jennifer obviously dove deeply into Dan's life. The stories that are told from memories collected from Dan's closest friends and his family are engaging. There is no doubt that Dan left a mark on everyone he met. Even more incredible is that he continues to leave his mark on the lives of those who meet him through these books. His death may have been premature but he certainly didn't waste the short amount of time that he was given. He certainly deserves to be known as one of the twentieth centuries heroes.

This is a wonderful and moving story and what's even better is it's true.

This book tells the story of the creative genius Waterhouse Hawkins who paints and creates life size models of dinosaurs way back in the 1800s.

It's a beautiful picture book, I highly recommend it.

This beautifully written and illustrated book is the true story of Waterhouuse Hawkins, an English artist who brought dusty bones to life in sculptures of dinosaurs. The text is suited for reading aloud to young dinosaur lovers, as a self read by third graders and beyond, and as an addition to any dinosaur lovers bookshelf. It is a good book for those interested in art and history as well. A perfect gift.

Amazing story for the dinosaur lover. My 7 year old son kept barrowing this book from his school so much that I decided he needed his own copy and now he wants to go to England to see Mr. Hawkins' Dinosaurs for himself.

I am a student at West Virginia State College University. I am in Mr. Samples, Children's Literature class. I chose to read this book as an honor book for a caldecott winner. I am not a huge dinosaur fan, but I loved this book. It made it even more fabulous that it is all based on a true story. The pictures were just as great as the book.

Occasionally, from time to time, I like to trick little children. And as a children's librarian in a public library, I have plenty of time and opportunity to do so. So when I'm in the right mood and I feel particularly devilish, I mosey on over to the biography section of the library and ever-so-casually pull out "The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins". After determining that no one has seen me, I then amble over to the picture book area and prominently display the book. The bait now laid, I go back to my desk and wait in anticipation. It doesn't take long. Soon the attractive cover of the book (showing a man holding a dinosaur model with a gigantic dinosaur head looming behind him) catches the eye of some wayward traipsing tot. The child will look at it, squeal gleefully, and pluck the item from the shelf without so much as a howdy-doo. My job complete, I sit back and soak in just how clever I am. You see, the kid doesn't know it yet, but I've tricked `em. They thought they were finding just another of the thousands of millions of dinosaur books out there WHEN IN FACT this book is different. It is a highly educational biography of the man who helped bring dinosaurs to the forefront of the human imagination. The book may well be many a child's first biography for this very reason. So while they think they're getting another dino book, they are in fact getting an entirely different critter altogether. It's an incredibly satisfying feeling to get a child to read something quite as good and original as this particular book. I do not regret my actions in the least.

Author Barbara Kerley explains in her afterword where she got the gumption to write about Waterhouse Hawkins in the first place. She was flipping through a book of dinosaurs one day when she came across a most peculiar picture. In it sat a group of refined late 1800s gentlemen having a formal dinner. In the belly of a dinosaur. Further research yielded a name and a fascinating story. Waterhouse Hawkins was born in London in 1807. He grew up with an interest in animalia, but with the discovery of dinosaur bones he quickly shifted his interests. As an artist, Hawkins worked diligently to create true to life full-sized dinosaur models. Though we today look at them with a critical eye (they had some real innate flaws to them) at the time they were considered the cutting edge of scientific vision. Hawkins grew in prominence (in no small part due to the aforementioned let's-eat-dinner-in-a-dinosaur idea) and even created a group of them for the grand opening of the Crystal Palace at Sydenham Park. Unfortunately, once Hawkins moved to America he was bound to come into contact with that nefarious New York politican, the corruptous of the corrupt, "Boss" Tweed. Though Hawkins had been given funding to construct a museum of dinosaurs in Central Park, Tweed diverted funds and (adding injury to insult) probably hired a group of goons to destroy Hawkins' models. But did our intrepid expatriate give in even then? No, sir! He went on to create the development of life on Earth at Princeton and made dinosaurs for the Smithsonian. By the time he died he'd lived a rich and wonderful life.

Barbara Kerley backs up all her interesting Hawkins info with a remarkable Author's Note section at the end of the book encompassing the models, the artist, Tweed, the Crystal Palace, as well as illustrator Brian Selznick's works. And the text is remarkably interesting. In fact, it closes by pointing out that because Boss Tweed's goons buried many of Hawkins' models, they may still be located somewhere deep beneath Central Park to this day. Brian Selznick is just as laudable an artist in this venture though. First of all, the book is presented as a kind of 1800s document. The title page is part announcement to a theatrical presentation part scholarly text. At the end of the book we can see the original menu feasted upon by Hawkins and his scientific cronies in the belly of one of his models. The book is perhaps most remarkable because of its dark moments. And it is here that Selznick really shines. Our encounter with Boss Tweed shows a gray formal portrait of the man with watery malicious eyes. After the destruction of his creations there's a remarkable two-page spread of Hawkins holding his head in sorrow in the midst of complete and utter destruction. The next pages show a rainy windswept Central Park with a single black figure making his way across the expanse. Heck! There's even a section at the back of the book showing how Hawkins once drew his dinos and how we know they look today.

The most difficult task of any biographical picture book is make the subject both interesting and factual. Kerley and Selznick have done this with aplomb. And unlike some life stories transferred to a mere 48 pages or so, this book has a distinctive rise and fall to the action. All in all it's a remarkable story in an attractive package that any small child could instantly take to. One of the best picture book biographies I have ever had the delight to read. A must-have for any dino-addled child.