Art & Max

Fantastic art is a given with David Wiesner. So is the trippy ordinary-becomes-extraordinary thing. The only thing that holds me back from really loving Wiesner's books is that they can seem a little too serious, like they're art objects more than lovable stories. What I like about this particular David Wiesner book is the quirky sense of humor. Wiesner having fun! Yay!

Every book I've read by this incredibly talented Caldecott-winning artist always provides smiles and a lot of joy. And, as usual, I read this book once, then again immediately.

The illustrations are fun, and so is the story line. Art is a very talented artist. He wants to share his gift with his best friend Max. Much to Max's chagrin, the rendition becomes a splotch of color that does not look like Max at all. Max is very upset.

Colorful, unique and humorous.

Highly recommended

Two lizard/gecko creatures have two different approaches to art. Arthur takes a traditional, pretentious stance, while Max is much more enthusiastic and ebullient. When Arthur grandly tells Max, "You can paint me," Max - like Amelia Bedelia - takes him literally. Then he finds creative solutions to get Arthur back to his normal color and shape. Once he's restored, Arthur is more open to Max's joyful approach.

Whenever you read a David Wiesner book, there's always more than meets the eye. The basic conflict is between Arthur the artist and Max, a wannabe artist. Wondering aloud what to paint, Max completely misunderstands when Arthur says, "You can paint me." He does -- splattering the lizard with all manner of colors. When he tries to undo what havoc he has wrought, the deeper story unfolds -- the complex relation between elements of art -- line, shape, form, space, value, and color. Sure, the color washes away, but then the line begins to unravel until there is no more Art. Taking a line (as all art must start with line), Max recreates Arthur -- and repaints him too, this time alluding to the style of pointillism. So sophisticated.

Art & Max is a wonderful book that really shows the reader the the process behind art. It shows what it means to take something apart and start again, and it has two wonderfully silly characters who make this book as wonderful as it is. It starts off with one friend, Max, wanting to paint like his friend Arthur. Arthur knows how to paint and decides it is time that he allow his friend to learn from him. The story really begins when Max decides it would be a good idea to paint Arthur. The two characters go through an adventure from then on where the reader is taken through the process of art, all the way from pencil drawing to detailed paintings. This book is an excellent book to use with students to discuss art, as well as to discuss show more the idea of thinking about the entire process of something, not just the final product. show less

Wiesner, David. (2010). Art & Max. Illustrated by the author. Boston: Houghton Mifflin/Clarion. 32 pp. ISBN 978-0-618-75663-6. (Hardcover) $17.99.

David Wiesner’s picture books are treasures! I teach first grade, but I have always dreamed of working with high school students using Flotsam. I would love to have high school students write two polar opposite texts about what is happening in this book. Art & Max is another book in which older students will find much to appreciate, especially students who are taking art and exploring different media. Arthur is the older and obviously much wiser art instructor and Max is a young, dumb kid (well, actually a lizard). Arthur is very condescending when Max says he can draw, but allows him to show more attempt to paint with him. When Max asks Arthur what to paint, Arthur suggests that Max paint Arthur. And Max does, literally! Not only does the book take us through acrylic, pastel, watercolor, and India ink, but it also exposes us to many different styles of art in the details of each page. Art students will have a delicious time finding all the references. Arthur is deconstructed in several senses of the word! And Max learns how to draw him back to order. In the end Arthur becomes Art and Max develops an appreciation for classical artist like Van Gogh. For older readers, the book features a profound exploration of the balance between technique and exuberance, between the skill of an artist and the passion of an artist. I also can’t help but wonder whether this book also includes a very personal statement by Wiesner germane to the need for established artists to explore and take risks outside of his or her own comfort zone. show less

This book plays with perception, different art styles, mediums and has a wonderful sense of meta-awareness. Enthusiastic Max and indignant Arthur are endlessly entertaining and there is always something interesting going on in the background. It feels less like a traditional story and more like a classic cartoon.