The Arty Book by Nikalas Catlow and David Sinden
| The Arty Book by Nikalas Catlow and David Sinden | |
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| Category: Children's Non-Fiction | |
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Reviewer: Jill Murphy
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| Summary: Gorgeous art ideas book led by Arty, your creative buddy. There's so much in here, it might occupy the entire six week summer holiday! | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 160 | Date: July 2016 |
| Publisher: Bloomsbury | |
| ISBN: 1408870665 | |
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Arty is your creative friend. He is the star of this art activity book from Nikalas Catlow and David Sinden. He's a bit brusque on the first page. This is Arty announces a big, black arrow. And Arty commands, Colour me in. Who could resist? Because Arty is a winsome little figure with nutty, curly hair and great big red glasses. On the cover, those red glasses spell book and they look unruly and exciting, don't you think?
As I type this review, we are at the very beginning of the long school summer holidays. Every young person is in need of something to do, especially on days where the sun is less than shiny. And Arty has more ideas than you can shake a stick at. You can colour Arty in. You can design new and different versions of Arty. You can give him stripes and spots and lumps and bumps. You can put him on a postcard. You can use him to invite your friends around. You can see what Arty would look like if he were a barcode. Yes! A barcode! Genius!
There are some standard colouring pages. But there are also practical ideas to make useful or fun things such as invitations and postcards and paper planes. And there are some truly zany ideas using flicking fingers and footprints and even underpants. And if you're feeling a bit lazy in the summer sun and don't want to make anything yourself, there are even some stickers. Don't pass them off as your own!
In fact, there is probably enough here to keep an arty child happy for a good chunk of those long six weeks of summer-without-school. All tied together by Arty's trademark red glasses. It's a lovely arts activity book: full of fun, brightness and joy, with goodly dollops of motivation and inspiration. It's structured just enough and not too much and there are plenty of ideas to take further - from collage to painting and customising. We loved it.
Recommended for all arty children (and even their parents).
There are more lovely ideas for arty children in Drawing Projects for Children by Paula Briggs. And This is Not a Maths Book by Anna Weltman combines art with mathematical principles!
The Arty Book by Nikalas Catlow and David Sinden is in the Top Ten Children's Non-Fiction Books of 2016.
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You can read more book reviews or buy The Arty Book by Nikalas Catlow and David Sinden at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy The Arty Book by Nikalas Catlow and David Sinden at Amazon.com.
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