Art & Max

Our family loves this book, from our 4 year old to her 70-something year old grandparents. Besides being beatiful to look at, the lessons are all positive -- think outside the box, be tolerant of others, try something new, don't be afraid to ask for help... oh, and art is fun! There are very few words, the story is in the illustrations, so it can be a slightly different message every time. And now our 4 year old loves to tell US the story. You will not be disappointed by this book.

When my grand-daughter was born 4 years ago, Jan. 5, I vowed to give her a magnificent library of at least 50 books she would want to go back to again and again by the time she could read fluently (which tends to be 4 years old in our family). Well, I had reached the 50 book mark well before schedule, but the grand-daughter has turned out to be something of an artist. So when I saw the David Wiesner book, ART & MAX (she already has almost all of the Wiesner books), I couldn't pass it up! She loves it. It is wonderfully illustrated, and brings the characters to life in a way that only David Wiesner can do, and only children, with their unfettered imaginations, can appreciate fully. Wiesner's books are fabulous. Every child ought to have these books, as well as some others I would recommend. They set a child's imagination soaring, while they teach the valuable lesson of reading and reasoning and being kind.

Got this because my child is obsessed with this book and after repeatedly checking it out from libraries, he still asked for and quoted this book. Can't believe the quality for a supposedly used book. Would have thought it was new! Seriously great and I love the seller's mission! Such a win.

David Wiesner's books are fabulously enjoyable. They are wacky, beautifully illustrated, fun stories that adults will enjoy just as much as the kids. I've bought several of his books, and I don't have anyone to read them to. This author/illustrator has a wonky, wild, strange, imaginative mind, and the results are wacky, wonky, wild, strange, and imaginative stories!

David Wiesner is one of only two people to win the prestigious Caldicott Medal on three ocassions, for Tuesday (1992), The Three Pigs (2002) and Flotsam (2007). In his first book since Flotsam, Wiesner wanted to try something different and his exploration into various media led him to write & illustrate a story about the creative process itself. Set in the desert, Art & Max is the story of two lizards; one, Arthur (Art), is an artist, the second, Max, admires Art and hopes to be an artist as well. When he shows up, brushes and canvas in hand as Art is working on a portrait and claims that he can paint, too, Arthur's first reaction is a dismissive "Don't be ridiculous!" Upon seeing Max's crestfallen reaction to his words, though, Art relents and invites Max to set up his easel but instructs him to stay out of his way. When Max is stuck for a subject and Art rather grandly suggests that Max paint him, Max takes him at his word. Chaos, as they say, ensues. While I loved the artwork - the muted desert tones and simplicity of the backgrounds, the expressive faces, the melting watercolors - I simply don't have the knowledge of art to analyze Wiesner's work in Art & Max in depth. So I'll leave that commentary to others with more expertise and instead go a different route, sharing the messages I took from the book as a whole. 1. Hold fast to enthusiasm and never, ever lose your grip. 2. Never stop learning. 3. Be willing to experiment. 4. Look at the world with curious eyes. 5. Breaking out of the box can be exhilarating. 6. While a master may be a source of inspiration to his/her students, the master can also gain inspiration FROM the student. 7. Even as our outer appearance changes, we are still, at the core, much the same person. 8. Though not a message, I also learned that Acme delivers to desert-dwelling animals that are not coyotes. Who knew? After spending some time with Art & Max today, I re-read Wiesner's other books. I'm going to have to admit that I still prefer Flotsam and (my personal favorite) Free Fall , but I loved the messages I took from Art & Max. My admiration for and appreciation of Wiesner's talent continues to grow. Happily recommended.

Art & Max is a very good picture book. For some, it will be a dull story with good pictures. For others, a fun story with awesome pictures. It certainly contains a second, more thought provoking story in the background. I enjoyed the book a great deal, but I worried kids would be disinterested; I appear to be wrong. The first-grader's I've worked with loved it; best of all for different reasons. Some loved the exuberance of Max; some the outburst and withering of Arthur. Some even looked beyond the main narrative and followed the silent stories of the other three lizards. There were a few kids who did not care for it; expressive reading can cure much of this. This book lacks the grandeur of some of Wiesner's other works, such as Flotsam, Sector 7 or my personal favorite June 29th, 1999. Its setting is sparse, with just 5 characters (2 speaking) and (excellent) desert landscape the background. This is not a bad thing, just a different feel that takes some getting used to. Those who are used to Wiesner's work will appreciate Art & Max after a few reads. Those who are new should have no problem at all jumping into the story. This is a great book that will remain in my library and on my suggestion list for children. Every time I feel I've dissected the book, I discover some new twist in the artwork or storytelling that prompts me to reread again. I do not believe the story will be enjoyed by everyone, but there is so much quality to find for those who do enjoy it.

I love to buy books for my friends' kids and I'm very picky on what to buy them. This is one of my personal faves.

This is the favorite book in the house right now . The art is interesting and detailed. The lizards are very expressive and Wiesner has a great subtle sense of humor. If you are familiar with Wiesner you know most of his books are "stories without words". These are great because the kids can use their own words to express the story. It's also interesting to see how other adults interpret the pictures! This book has some words, but not many. Good flow. Five year old, two year old, and both us parents enjoy it.

Las ilustraciones son muy bonitas y originales, ya que contienen innumerables detalles que a los niños les encanta observar. Además, la historia es divertida.

My 4 year old loved this almost wordless picture book. David Wiesner's art is fabulous and the story-line was hilarious - invoked many giggles every-time we read it! It was a steal-deal at 130/- with paybalance cashback. Happy with the purchasing experience.

I love this book and so does my 3 years old son. He will ask me to repeat it many times during the bedtime story time. He didn't quite get the idea at first but he seems to enjoy the colours and he likes lizards too! After a few reads, he will giggle when Max has assembled the 'wrong' Art, he simply loves it.

Zeichnerich wie auch inhaltlich sehr facettenreich illustriert und ausbaubar. Druckqualität: gut Preis - Leistung: gut Pädagogisch interessant und wie bereits erwähnt über eine recht grosse Altersspanne anwendbar und sinnvoll

I bought this book for my two and a half year old niece and she was enthralled from the moment she saw the cover. Her five year old sister, though given a book of her own, was soon leaning over her shoulder, also captivated by the flair of David Wiesner in using art to tell this story. The two year old already feels like she is reading as she turns the pages of this book, and I see the story forming time and again in her eyes as they light up with each new discovery. This book is a jolt of genius, a magnet for lovers of art and literature, and a gem for those of us who love both and want to generate that same love in the little minds we influence.