It's All Art!: From Drawing to Dress-Up with Sesame Street

PreS-K--This cheerful, simple informational text about art, in its many forms, presents familiar, beloved faces from Sesame Street who model the fun of being artists. Large, lively photographs of children and muppets alike accompany short text sections that identify different art forms, from visual arts to music to acting to dance, and introduce young listeners to basic definitions and recognizable tools. With upbeat declarations, this book encourages and highlights the many opportunities to use one's imagination. However, since few terms are supported by visual examples or full explanations, supplementary images, videos, or guided discussions may prove necessary to describe high vocabulary words, like orchestra and actors, to the target audience. In addition, references to popular art topics, such as the Museum of Modern Art and Claude Monet, may not spark connections. Following the main narrative, an "Idea Studio" section includes six easy-to-do art activities best practiced at home. The book closes with a short glossary, brief index, and three-item list of suggested children's books for more in-depth exploration of arts subjects. These elements will prove too advanced for the primary target audience to read and comprehend. VERDICT Though not an essential purchase, this introductory book about art is best shared between adults and children who appreciate the familiar, trusted characters engaging in different modes of creativity.--Rachel Mulligan, Westampton, NJ

"[A] wonderful and fun way to show children all the different things they can do. It can inspire children to want to learn more and possibly fall in love with a different part of the field of art." —Children's Literature