Kelly Light

Louise, the young artiste whose story began in Kelly Light's Louise Loves Art, returns in this second picture-book, this time eager to welcome her new neighbor to the street. Elated to discover that Andie, a young girl her own age, also loves art, Louise suggests that they draw together. When the two have an artistic disagreement however, it seems that their incipient friendship is at an end. Can Andie find a way to mend fences, and show Louise that their differing aesthetic sensibilities show more can be a source of inspiration, rather than discord?

Like its predecessor, I found Louise and Andie: The Art of Friendship to be an engaging tale of a goodhearted young girl whose artistic passions are tempered by her care for others. In both stories, what at first might be interpreted as a violation of Louise's artistic efforts is instead shown to be a precursor to a new, collaborative work. I appreciate the message this sends, about remaining open-minded to other artists' methods, and showing a willingness to work with them. I continue to find Kelly Light's illustrations charming, particularly her depiction of Louise's cat, whose droll expressions remain one of my favorite parts of these books. Recommended to young artists everywhere, and to anyone who read and enjoyed the first book about Louise's artistic odyssey. show less

Intent on her drawing, and determined to create her masterpiece, Louise is blind at first to her younger brother's almost slavish devotion, his efforts to attract her attention by joining her in the creative process. When he 'destroys' her best effort yet - a portrait of her cat - by creating a chain of paper people, she is angry at first. Then she discovers just who the paper people are meant to represent and is reminded that although she loves her art, she loves Art - her brother - even show more more...

A sweet tale of a girl, her brother, their cat, and their art, Louise Loves Art is a tribute to young artists, and a reminder that what at first might seem like a violation of one's own artistic integrity, can actually be a welcome contribution, a first step toward collaboration with others. It also depicts the loving bond between sisters and brothers, highlighting the elder sibling's role in encouraging the younger. The illustrations themselves - appropriately, for a book about creating art - are quite appealing, making excellent use of a limited color palette, and adeptly capturing the emotional state of each scene. I thought Louise's cat was particularly charming. Recommended to anyone looking for children's stories about art and/or siblings. show less

I loved this book for two reasons. First, I enjoyed the illustrations and the emphasis on the color red. I found that interesting because the rest of the picture would be quite dull in color, but there was always a spark of red in every illustration to emphasize a particular object. For example, when Louise’s brother was drawing over her art, it would be done in red to show the reader what is happening because the text does not mention it in order to show that Louise is not aware of what show more her brother is up to. Second, the theme of the story was very heart-warming. Louise ended up not being upset with her brother even though he had cut up her masterpiece. I think that is something many children could relate to, especially if they have a sibling. This story is entertaining to read but it also teaches children a good lesson. show less

"I love art! It's my imagination on the outside....To be a great artist, you have to notice everything."

Louise is an enthusiastic artist, but she's so absorbed in her art that she fails to observe her younger brother, Art, who puts his own stamp on her masterpiece. After an initial dismayed reaction, Louise takes a closer look and changes her mind: "Oh, Art. I love it." Plenty of white space on the page gives ample room for Louise's art (and drama), Art's background activities, and the show more cat's poses.

See also: Olivia; Fancy Nancy show less