Roy Lichtenstein: 2the Artist at Work

Abramson's striking color photographs of the pop artist ``in situ'' form a dazzling context for this look at a contemporary master's life and work. But despite its cartoonish appearance, Lichtenstein's art rests on allusions to art history and cultural icons, and on irony, all of which will escape most children. Furthermore, the text never matches the immediacy of this artist's visuals: Walker's descriptions of Lichtenstein's painstaking techniques are dull, and the artist's own comments mirror the obliqueness of his work (``I realized the bigger they his Interiors paintings were, the more amusing they were''). A full spread of ``Some Well-Known Works,'' presented without explanation, furthers the impression that this book celebrates Lichtenstein's marketability more than his creative processes. A brief glossary of techniques and an ``art lesson'' complete the presentation. Ages 8-12. (Jan.)