KAHLO'S KOALAS

Count groups of animals painted in
the styles of various artists in this hybrid art and math book.

In a decidedly cheeky take on art
history, this glossy-paged board book re-creates animals in different art
genres, such as the pop art “3 Lichtenstein Llamas” composed of the trademark
tiny dots, with text inside a distinctive starburst. It’s structured as a
traditional counting book with increasing increments of animals, with
satisfying alliteration introducing 10 different artists (all white men save
for Kahlo). Playful illustrations do a remarkable job of capturing the essence
and medium; those five splattery, splotchy dogs are clearly “Pollock Poodles.”
Are toddlers likely to make the connections to the original art? Unlikely, but
that doesn’t mean they won’t chortle at eight Technicolor Warhol Warthog heads—and
one rump. The featured artists are famous enough that most adults will
recognize the references, but if not, the backmatter concisely explains the art
style and the thoughtful reason for choosing the animal that embodies it,
suggesting that since pointillism was “was slow and painstaking,” a sloth was a
perfect representation of that style. Older audiences may find it useful as a
bridge to connect with the original artwork. Some colors and styles aren’t perfect
emulations of the artists—the brushy koalas don’t mimic Kahlo’s fine technique,
for instance—but it’s a refreshing change to see the topic of fine art handled
so lightly.

Artsy fun. (Board book. 2-4)