Resource Center
Books, Kits, and Websites
Children’s Book Briefs ism. This book is recommended for
of approaches, tools, and media from
elementary-level students.
monochrome and dry color to fluid,
oil-based, and acrylic. Experimental
—By Cindy Hasio, Ph.D. student in art
techniques such as sgraffito and salt
education at the University of North Texas
in Denton, Texas. spatter, basic drawing principles, and
guidelines for creating a winning port-
folio will promote essential skills and
Bookmarks
creative thinking.
Dance Me a Story: Twelve Tales from Berniece Patterson
—By Berniece Patterson, supervisor of
the Classic Ballets. Jane Rosenberg.
New York, NY: Thames & Hud-
son, 2008. Illus., softcover, 128 pp.,
$19.95.
Lives of the Great Artists. Charlie
Ayres. New York, NY: Thames &
Hudson, 2008. Illus., hardcover,
96 pp., $19.95.
student teachers in the art department at
the University of North Texas in Denton,
Texas.
This delightful book retells twelve
Portraits of twenty great artists
Instructional
ballets as fairy tales including Cin-
with biographical information and
Resources
derella, Coppélia, Don Quixote, La
a selection of their masterpieces are
Cindy Hasio
Fille Mal Gardée, Firebird, Giselle,
presented in this impressive book.
The Nutcracker, Petrouchka, Romeo
and Juliet, The Sleeping Beauty, Swan of paintings and sculptures are accom-
Lake, and La Sylphide. The illustra-
tions are represented exquisitely in
watercolors and are enclosed within
elaborate frames. The imaginative
artwork illustrates graceful ballet
Numerous high-quality reproductions
panied by a wealth of information
about the artworks. The book takes
readers back in time and indicates
what the artist is doing through the
use of series. Practical art projects are
dancers whose facial expressions por-
Art Lab Clay Studio: Wild, Weird, and
suggested, and websites are listed to
tray their personalities. The perform-
Wonderful! Julia Harrisson. Bellevue,
guide readers who wish to view more WA: SmartLab, 2007. $22.99.
ers seem to dance across the pages in
of each artist’s work. The book is a
these charming settings that portray
valuable art history resource for art
Inside this creative kit are four arma-
a three-dimensional set. This is an
educators and librarians.
tures of an elephant, horse, lizard,
exciting collection for teaching stu-
student teachers in the art department at
the University of North Texas in Denton,
Texas.
P is for Piñata: A Mexican Alphabet.
Tony Johnston. Chelsea, MI: Sleep-
and lion as well as clay and modeling
dents ballet appreciation.
tools. Posing the armatures and add-
—By Berniece Patterson, supervisor of
ing the clay onto them makes this kit
a fun addition to any classroom. The
innovative book features fun ways for
readers to form and blend clay to make
animals. Visual examples describe
different ways to create textures like
scales, leather, and feathers using a
ing Bear Press, 2008. Illus., hard-
simple straw. The book encourages
cover, 39 pp., $17.95.
200 Projects to Strengthen Your Art
higher-order thinking by encourag-
Skills. Valerie Colston. Hauppauge, ing readers to create different poses,
Each letter of the alphabet is illus-
trated in this book to represent
something from Mexican culture,
NY: Barron’s Educational Series,
2008. Illus., softcover, 128 pp.,
$21.99.
expressions, colors, and decorations
onto their animals. There is a Labra-
dor dog (the “Art Lab”) on the bottom
geography, and history. Each page
of some of the pages that gives art tips
Innovative projects present instruc-
contains reference information on the tion in line, shape, color, texture,
and terms. This kit is engaging and
historical context of various aspects
uniquely creative with its presentation
pattern, form, and space with numer-
of Mexican art. The colorful illustra-
and examples.
ous colorful illustrations, close-up
tions have a folk art style. From Day
shots, and technical demonstrations.
of the Dead skeletons to weaving, this A section on techniques shows read-
—Cindy Hasio is a Ph.D student in Art
Education at the University of North
book has a diversity that will enrich
ers how to experiment with a variety Texas in Denton, Texas.
