100 Pablo Picassos

Gr 1–3—Readers will appreciate this concise introduction to Pablo Picasso. Each brief snippet about the artist's life is paired with a finely rendered, Picasso-esque cartoon illustration. A gentle sense of humor runs through these images, which also serve to personalize the man, from the cover, in which he walks with his pet dog Lump, to an illustration depicting him painting while in the bath. Each image of the artist (including self-portraits) is numbered, and by the end, children will discover that indeed, true to the book's title, there are 100 Picassos. A short summary of Picasso's life is appended, along with art citations for the works depicted. However, there is no index, making this selection more appropriate as a draw to entice young readers than as a source for research. Pair with Jonah Winter's humorous and vibrantly illustrated Just Behave, Pablo Picasso! (Scholastic, 2012).