BEGIN AT THE BEGINNING
A Little Artist Learns About Life
by Amy Schwartz & illustrated by Amy Schwartz
The 1983 story of Sara, a budding artist with a challenging school art project, has been given a modern, colorful, spacious new look. A thinner, older-looking Sara in shorts, T-shirt and sneakers with backpack in tow, arrives home from school and is greeted by her youthful-looking, slim mom dressed in jeans while preparing cookie batter. Schwartz has surrounded her original text with soft pastel hues reflecting both Sara’s home life and imaginary scenes concerning her artistic confidence, frustration and creative energy. Lime green end papers sprinkled with drawings of art supplies and a little girl’s planetary vision of the universe enfold a well-designed layout of words and perceptive illustrations against plenty of white space delineating Sara’s thought process as she attempts to create her painting. A refreshing update for a timeless story about a child’s eagerness to succeed, encouraged by an insightful parent with basic love and understanding advice. Sure to become a new classic. (Picture book. 3-6)