cover image Studio: A Place for Art to Start

Studio: A Place for Art to Start

Emily Arrow, illus. by the Little Friends of Printmaking. Tundra, $17.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-73526-485-4

This rhyming picture book debut by children’s entertainer Arrow explores a variety of different artistic studios and the artists who create within them. A young bunny and its parent arrive at Uptown Art Studios, a spot for all manner of creatives. A feline tour guide invites the pair into the expansive building, and they amble together through a painter’s studio, a darkroom, and a ceramic studio, among other spaces. Digital illustrations in a triadic color scheme of goldenrod, ruby, and turquoise bolster the simple text; the boldly outlined, gently smiling animals are dynamic against sleekly rendered background details. Arrow’s broad definition of studio (“Finding your own studio/ Shouldn’t be too hard:/ Round the corner, in a park,/ Or maybe in your yard.”) offers varying options, and the volume teaches readers that finding a dedicated creative space is imperative for many artists. Ages 3–7. [em](Mar.) [/em]