cover image If da Vinci Painted a Dinosaur

If da Vinci Painted a Dinosaur

Amy Newbold, illus. by Greg Newbold. Tilbury House, $17.95 (40p) ISBN 978-0-88448-667-1

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.)