The Museum of Me

K-Gr 2—The concept of a museum is explored through the eyes of a young girl in this visually attractive debut picture book. As the protagonist journeys through various museums, her notion of "big buildings filled with oldest and oddest things" is challenged by the great assortment of collections she encounters. Traveling from museum to museum on a red double-decker tour bus, the girl does indeed see some things that are ancient and unexpected, but she also notices things that have been placed in museums because they represent the great variety of the world's natural and artistic treasures. Looking at some ancient pots, the girl wonders about their previous owners. Lewis has deftly used mixed-media collage to create spaces that have the varied look and feel of museum collections, juxtaposing paper cutouts with printed book illustrations and drawn surfaces. Back pages invite readers to further consider the concept of a museum with questions such as, "What do you like to collect? What's on display in your own museum?" After her visit, the girl returns to her room, where she views her possessions in a new light, a "Museum of Me."