cover image The Story in a Picture

The Story in a Picture

Robin Richmond. Ideals Publications, $15.95 (48pp) ISBN 978-0-8249-8552-3

On the theory that youngsters gravitate towards images of other children, Richmond introduces readers to fine art in a gallery tour of 38 paintings by Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Degas, Whistler and others, all featuring young subjects. Herself an artist, Richmond is a friendly, undemanding guide whose discourses on style and iconography, children's changing social roles and artists' lives often get bogged down in personal opinions that are vague, obvious or objectionable: Matisse ``really could use color like no one else''; one can tell by looking that Berthe Morisot's pictures were painted by a woman. The rambling text further diminishes the relatively small illustrations, and the thematic chapter groupings intended to shape the material are of little use. Richmond might have given more thought to the wise counsel from her own introduction that ``art is not about words, but about looking .'' Indeed, her straightforward descriptions of abstract works by Picasso and Matisse finally allow the inquisitive reader some room for discovery. Ages 7-10. (Oct.)