If Picasso Painted a Snowman (The Reimagined Masterpiece Series)

I really do think that as much as my kiddos enjoyed this book, I love it even more! There is just something about the opening of the book that really got to me... right from the start we are asked how we would draw a snowman and then answers the question for you - "three white circles stacked upon each other with black dots for eyes, and orange nose, etc..." Which is exactly how we would draw a snowman, right? This is how we are taught to see and draw one, and it is the way a snowman is continuously depicted everywhere you look. But then, the author challenges you - what if a certain artist was to draw a snowman, what do you think it would look like? For example, if the snowman were to be painted by Picasso, Monet, or Pollack? Do you show more think all of their snowmen would like alike?...

This book not only opens a whole new world for budding artists to let their imaginations run wild and not to limit themselves... it teaches them to think for themselves and to not judge others for being different. It inspires children to believe in themselves and in what they would like to create, but to also accept criticism since we all have our own distinct styles and will translate our own work, and others, in our own way.

All of the artwork and illustrations are brilliant interpretations of every artist's work - Dali, Mondrian, Lawrence, Wood and more! The quality and work that went into them are astounding - I truly felt as if all of the artists came together to collaborate here...
Quoting my 4-year-old after he chose his favorite snowman, Vincent Van Gogh's "snowman swirls and curls in the wavy hills": "It looks cold and snowy. They did a good job!"

Oh, and we cannot forget to mention our adorable narrator - a hamster that not only introduces us in his own quiet way to each interpreted snowman picture but also takes on the persona of every artist mentioned, which helped my son identify each artist and understand that these people each have different ideas, can/will interpret things differently, and every person has their own unique and creative ways. And that he too can create in his own way.

The only thing we all missed seeing in this book - what the author's and/or illustrator's own snowman would have looked like! Although the interpretations that were shared with us are their own unique visions inspired by great artists, we would have loved to have seen their own original artwork alongside them too!

This is definitely a book to share with all the imaginative artists and art history majors in your life! Also, it would be the perfect intro to introducing little ones to different art styles, periods of art history, texture and mediums and so much more!

*We received a hardcover copy of IF PICASSO PAINTED A SNOWMAN from Nicole Banholzer PR, LLC. for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions here are our own. Please leave a comment or message us with any problems and/or questions. Thank you! show less

This book talks to children in a clear-cut (but not condescending) manner about the nature of art. It starts with a simple premise - how would you draw a snowman if asked? It then shows how famous artists throughout the ages might represent a snowman, using both describing words and pictures illustrating snowmen in the style of each artist. The book then has a blank "canvas" at the end of the text that invites children to make their own version of a snowman (with the caveat they photocopy that page before embarking on their artistic journey). The illustrator also provides readers with some tips on ways to experiment in making art and finding your unique style.

The artists featured in this book range from the super well-known, such as show more Picasso and van Gogh, to lesser-known ones like Sonia Delaunay and Jacob Lawrence. I must confess I wasn't familiar with all the artists, but a helpful "Meet the Artists" endnote provides a paragraph-long biography of each one. The artists cover a wide range of time periods, ethnicities, and races as well as including both female and male artists. I have the tiniest of quibbles that the book depicts only snowmen, but the diversity in the artists used as examples outweighs that for me. Overall, I think this is solid offering to introduce children to some basic art history and think about the world more creatively. show less

This is a cute and short picture book where the Newbolds demonstrate the different artistic styles of different master painters by imagining what a snowman might look like. My favorites are Monet and Seurat, but all of them are very well done.

Wonderful. Both enlightening and fun. I especially appreciate the chance to learn about artists who are less well-known, like Pablita Velarde, Sonia Delaunay, and Jacob Lawrence. Great introduction for pre-K... and up!