your art-historical appetite. Be it
Sandro Botticelli, Alexander Calder,
or Alfred Stieglitz that you adore,
you will be reminded that cultural
growth in the twentieth-century
was initiated, in part, by Andrew
Mellon, and sigh with pleasure as
the beneficiary of such foresight and
generosity.
How Children Make Art: Lessons
in Creativity from Home to School.
George Szekely. New York: Teachers
College Press, 2006. Softcover, 224
pp., 23.95.
Energetic art educator and author
George Szekely presents a novel
idea that he once gave as an assign-
ment to his art-education students.
His objective is to analyze how art
produced in elementary schools
is connected to artwork made in
children’s studios. Interviews with
college students and video obser-
vations taken in homes serve as
enlightening reminders of the joys
of imaginative living at a young age.
Bedrooms and birthdays, phones and
purses, clubhouses and kitchens,
drama and dolls are some of the subjects included as part of the introspective art world exploration. Some
black-and-white photographs provide relief in this dense, yet highly
descriptive book. George Szekely’s
ultimate point is that children’s
art is a valid form of expression as
demonstrated in the appreciation of
masters such as Joan Miró and Pablo
Picasso. Furthermore, he encourages
young students to be part a of les-
son planning, which is an especially
interesting theory for art educators
to consider.
66 SchoolArts October 2007
Storybook Art. Mary Ann F. Kohl
and Jean Potter. Bellingham, WA:
Bright Ideas for Learning, 2003.
Illus. softcover, 142 pp., $14.95.
More than100 favorite children’s
illustrators are represented here. Jan
Brett, Tomie dePaola, Leo Lionni,
Eric Carle, and Faith Ringgold
are just a few of the many artists
featured. Each lesson includes a
summary of the story, the artist’s
birth date, and a quote on their
unique experience in the world of
illustration. Each activity outlines
the technique of the illustrator
in sequential steps. Icons provide
helpful clues and indicate needed
materials, project time, and level of
difficulty. Black-and-white illustrations will guide adults in judging
the possible outcome of suggested
activities. This title is one of a
series of hands-on activities for ages
four through twelve and is handy as
a quick reference with meaningful
associations.
Active Learning: Increasing Flow in
the Classroom. Pat Hollingsworth
and Gina Lewis. Norwalk, CT:
Crown House Publishing, 2006.
Illus., softcover, 208 pp., $27.95.
Teachers relish the times when
meaningful psychological and
mental growth occurs in their
classrooms. Hollingsworth and
Lewis help teachers create more of
these moments with activities that
develop a positive emotional attitude toward learning. Lessons that
involve the five senses and encourage a variation of pace and activities show teachers how to sustain
participant interest. Divided into
three sections, the book includes
descriptive lessons and evaluation
guides for creating a safe, caring
environment; active learning in the
arts; and examples of strategies to
connect other curriculum areas.
The lessons are adaptable for all
grade levels and many feature ideas
contributed by seasoned teachers.
Of particular interest is “Art in the
Garden” by Donna Davilla. This
lesson combines art, science, and
language arts for a fun and engaging
lesson. Teachers will be inspired to
try new approaches and students
will enjoy the opportunities these
lessons offer.
—Rebecca Martin is director of education
at the Sid Richardson Collection in Fort
Worth, Texas.
Web Reviews
Rebecca Arkenberg
Edward Hopper Sketchbook
www.tate.org.uk/modern/exhibi-tions/hopper/ sketchbook.htm
Edward Hopper was known for
being private and taciturn, but he
kept meticulous notes about his
paintings. Portions of his journal
(owned by the Whitney Museum)
can be found on the website of the
Tate Modern in London, featur-
ing eighteen pages of sketches and
