A Bird or Two

August 30, 1999
Le Tord here does for Matisse what she did for Claude Monet in A Blue Butterfly: she bends her watercolor style to incorporate suggestions of Matisse's famous works, and her scant, poetic text tells readers just enough to kindle an appreciation for Matisse's genius. The artist is already old and accomplished when he is introduced here, newly arrived in Nice and influenced by the extraordinary light. His colors change; his friends say, "He paints/ the sunshine/ everyday./.../ He works/ joyfully,/ with a light/ heart." Le Tord's sun-steeped art brings out that lightness of heart: her portraits of Matisse radiate his happiness and sense of play. While her versions of his paintings are more a blending of her style and his (as opposed to imitation), they capture Matisse's optimism. She doesn't give much in the way of facts (not even saying where, exactly, Nice is located), but when she declares that "Matisse/ made us/ `hear'/ with our/ eyes/ the music/ he painted/ in his/ pictures," her meaning comes through loud and clear--there is music in her work, too. All ages.

February 1, 2000
Gr 2-5-This lovely tribute to the father of modern art begins with his move to Nice, where he created some of his most joyful paintings, until his death at 84. The book is composed of simple statements about his later life and artwork-"Because of the delicate and bright sun of Nice, Matisse's colors changed." Occasional quotes from the painter or from his friends illuminate the joy he took in all the arts-music, dance, sculpture, and, of course, painting and paper collage. Masterful illustrations filled with the rich colors, sparkling light, and bold shapes that the artist loved echo his vision of life. This beautiful creation allows children to experience two gifted artists-Matisse and Le Tord.-Karen K. Radtke, Milwaukee Public Library

Copyright 2000 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 15, 1999
Ages 5^-8. Like "A Blue Butterfly," about Claude Monet, this picture book also pays homage to a well-known artist. In her author's note, Le Tord explains that Matisse loved Nice, in the south of France, finding it to be a place of "luminosity and beauty." Having liked Matisse's work since she was a child, Le Tord illustrates this picture book with paintings in Matisse's exuberant, color-saturated style. Any child who has ever seen Matisse's work will recognize the similarities, and Le Tord's text, which includes a few direct quotes from Matisse and members of his artistic circle, is simple enough for very young children to grasp: "He paints the sunshine every day." Matisse is a dapper, grandfatherly figure on these pages, embodying a sense of art as life as surely as his paintings do. ((Reviewed November 15, 1999))(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 1999, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2000
A "celebration" of the post-impressionist painter, especially his later years at Nice on the French Riviera. Echoing Matisse's intense, balanced palette and his freely brushed black lines, Le Tord creates a series of vibrant illustrations that resemble Matisse's own work. The brief text is more whimsical than informative; still, this makes a creative, if elementary, introduction to one of the all-time greats. A partial list of museums showing Matisse's work is included.

(Copyright 2000 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)