Louise Loves Art

K-Gr 3—Passion is contagious. Fun, focused, and full of flair, Louise anxiously works toward creating her masterpiece. Meanwhile her little brother, tagging along, wants her attention. No whining or pulling skirts, though. Wide-eyed, he admires her with a thoughtful smile as she hugs her drawings, exclaiming, "I love art! It's my imagination on the outside." He picks up some scissors (remember paper chain people?) and with a parallel focus and drive begins to make his own art, unbeknownst to either Louise or readers. The other visual subplot features the equally engaged Bewitched-style black cat that acts as the visual narrator. All is laid out in a retro, comic-book style, told in (mostly) bright white with bits of neutrals and lots of flashes of British telephone booth red: a crayon, a pair of scissors, Louise's Corbusier glasses, and her ubiquitous signature everywhere. It reaches a surprising, dreadful, pensive, joyful conclusion when they arrive at the "Gallery du Fridge" to hang Louise's "pièce de résistance." Then the pace stops and starts, as Louise discovers that her little brother is indeed an artist, too. The fresh sense of design and color and plays on words will entertain adults. Younger siblings will appreciate Louise's generosity that transcends the typical dominant older sibling dynamic. Most importantly, budding artists, those not only crazy for art but who have their eyes and heart open, will find a muse and a collaborator.—Sara Lissa Paulson, The American Sign Language and English Lower School, New York City