About the Book
In this sequel to the tour de force children’s art-history picture book If Picasso Painted a Snowman, Amy Newbold conveys nineteen artists’ styles in a few deft words, while Greg Newbold’s chameleon-like artistry shows us Edgar Degas’ dinosaur ballerinas, Cassius Coolidge’s dinosaurs playing Go Fish, Hokusai’s dinosaurs surfing a giant wave, and dinosaurs smelling flowers in Mary Cassatt’s garden; grazing in Grandma Moses’ green valley; peeking around Diego Rivera's orchids in Frida Kahlo’s portrait; tiptoeing through Baishi’s inky bamboo; and cavorting, stampeding, or hiding in canvases by Henri Matisse, Andy Warhol, Frida Kahlo, Franz Marc, Harrison Begay, Alma Thomas, Aaron Douglas, Mark Rothko, Lois Mailou Jones, Marguerite Zorach, and Edvard Munch. And, of course, striking a Mona Lisa pose for Leonardo da Vinci.
As in If Picasso Painted a Snowman, our guide for this tour is an engaging beret-topped hamster who is joined in the final pages by a tiny dino artist. Thumbnail biographies of the artists identify their iconic works, completing this tour of the creative imagination.
About the Author :
AMY NEWBOLD conceived IF PICASSO PAINTED A SNOWMAN book while visiting the Musée Picasso in Paris. If she were to draw a snowman, she would probably start with three white circles stacked one upon another…or maybe just two. Now she's back with IF DA VINCI PAINTED A DINOSAUR and IF MONET PAINTED A MONSTER. Award-winning illustrator GREG NEWBOLD grew up drawing superheroes and Dr. Seuss characters on giant rolls of newsprint in his childhood basement. He once copied a Vincent van Gogh painting for his college art history class instead of writing a paper. Greg has created work for clients such as Kleenex, Fedex, Heinz, Smucker’s, and American Express as well as illustrating a dozen books for children, including If Da Vinci Painted a Dinosaur, If Picasso Painted a Snowman, The Barnyard Night Before Christmas, The Touch of the Master’s Hand, Winter Lullaby, and Spring Song. Greg lives in Salt Lake City with his wife, Amy.
Review :
"Nineteen reimagined images present slightly altered versions of iconic paintings by famous artists, substituting dinosaurs as subjects. Readers are treated to a microraptor standing in for the Mona Lisa, avelociraptor as Frida Kahlo, and a looming giganotosaurus prompting Edvard Munch's The Scream. The illustrations don't just merely replace original elements, such as offering gamboling triceratops and stegosauruses as paper cutouts by Henri Matisse. They also strive to capture the overall emotion of each original...this picture book will encourage creativity, prompt giggling,and hopefully spark gleeful recognition."
"I adore this beautiful book that takes us through a tour of snowman art — more specifically, how 17 famous artists would paint a snowman — from Lichtenstein to Monet to van Gogh. All the snowman are painted in a different style and set in different settings. Use this book to inspire your own snowman painting AND become more familiar with these famous artists’ styles."
"Art history with a little smile."
"In the second of a playful, conceptual series (following If Picasso Painted a Snowman), the Newbolds, a married team, reimagine classic works of art with a prehistoric twist. A friendly hamster draws with a purple crayon: “If Leonardo Da Vinci drew a dinosaur, it might look like...” The result is a mash-up of da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man and a pterodactyl. Plesiosaurs surf Katsushika Hokusai’s wave, and in Edvard Munch’s iconic painting, the figure on the bridge has a real reason to scream. The image replications capture each artist’s styles and the works’ recognizable features. While the hamster, who offers casual commentary on the art, may distract with its incongruous art style, the creators deliver a memorable introduction to famed works of art. Ages 6–10. (Oct. 2018)"
"PRES-GR 3—What would it be like for dinosaurs to show up in some of the world's most famous works of art? Readers will love naming their favorite dinosaurs and artists in this brightly illustrated, captivating follow-up to If Picasso Painted a Snowman by the same author/illustrator team. A stegosaurus and a triceratops munch on grass in Grandma Moses's garden, a pack of plesiosauri surf on Katsushika Hokusai's iconic wave, and bright dinosaur shapes are scattered among Henri Matisse's iconic colorful paper cutouts. The final masterpiece is the Dino Lisa: a maiasaura disguised as Leonardo da Vinci's most recognizable work. At the end of the story, readers are asked how they would draw a dinosaur, and are given a canvas to create their own work of art. Not only are the illustrations whimsical and attention-grabbing for younger readers, an array of artistic styles and media are represented, featuring artists from many different historical periods and cultures. Dinosaur types are not named in words until the end of the book, sparking a dialogue between children and adults about which dinosaurs they see. A list of artists and their short biographies are included in the back of the book, as well as some advice for readers who hope to be artists when they grow up. VERDICT: An obvious choice for young art enthusiasts, dinosaur lovers, and aspiring artists "
