MAYHEM AT THE MUSEUM

In this almost-wordless picture book, five small children walk obediently through an art museum with their caregiver/teacher—and the art itself demands interaction.

A very young child who presents Asian climbs the steps of an imposing, neoclassical building to join a racially diverse but similarly aged group lined up before a red sign that reads “No touching the art.” Their teacher and museum guard—both women of color in Lozano’s cartoony art—exchange understanding glances over the children’s heads. Once inside, the titular mayhem begins. After a character from a cartoony replica of a famous Renoir painting leans out to give the child figurative raspberries, an ersatz Van Gogh portrait hands over his literal hat. In room after room, additional works of Western European art unload hats, flowers, fruits, and musical instruments upon patrons whose expressions change from vexed to pleased; even the guard becomes a participant. The art is appropriately colorful and exuberant, with varied layouts. Unfortunately, the red sign becomes a didactic, unnecessary punchline. Lozano carefully places plaques next to each work replicated but fills them with scribble instead of useful information; the pieces are identified in tiny type on the copyright page. The strong effort to show diversity in museum patrons and workers is undercut by the highly Eurocentric representation of art depicted. Anna at the Art Museum, by Hazel Hutchins and Gail Herbert and illustrated by Lil Crump (2018), is more sophisticated and more engaging.

Entertaining if limited arts appreciation.