Emily's Art

by Peter Catalanotto

Book Overview

"What a gorgeous painting," exclaimed the judge of Ms. Fair's first-grade art contest. "What a beautiful rabbit!"
For Emily, the words are a shock.
Her painting is of her dog, Thor. Not a rabbit.
But instead of thinking: What's wrong with this judge? Emily takes the words, and the judgment, to heart.
Just as she takes her art.
Not everyone, not Ms. Fair, or even Emily's best friend, Kelly, can see that.
At first...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 068983831X
• ISBN13: 9780689838316
• Release Date: June 2001
• Publisher: Atheneum Books
• Length: 32 Pages
• Weight: 1.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 9.5" x 10.1"
• Age Range: 5 to 8 years
• Grade Range: Kindergarten to Grade 3

Customer Reviews

captures the down side of "healthy" competition

My 6 year old daughter had just experienced the kind of unjust judgement captured in this book a day before we serendipitously picked it up at the library. Emily becomes transparent after her work is rejected. My daughter totally connected with that feeling. And she also recognized the power of a friends' support that is portrayed in this book as well. Lovely. Art is great too.

A Must Have

This book is fabulous.My children love it. It offers lots of chances to discuss feeling and how we feel about ourselves. We love the illustrations. We love this book

beautiful pics & a life lesson

This was a wonderful book about not giving up on the things you enjoy because of what someone else thinks! Emily learns that one persons rock is the next mans diamond. What makes us different makes us special!Our favorite book = Matthew A.B.C. - same author

Gorgeous Watercolor Picturebook about Feelings

EMILY'S ART is the story about Emily, a first-grade girl who loves to paint. There is a colorful aura of joy around Emily as she paints with her heart, and she radiates a soft, pink glow when she paints a watercolor picture of her friend, Kelly. When Emily's class participates in a school-wide art contest, Emily chooses to enter a picture of her dog, Thor, with great big ears, "Because Thor hears everything." When all the first-grade pictures are judged in the art contest, Emily is heart-broken to see her beloved picture of Thor passed over because the judge hates dogs. Fortunately, Emily's friend, Kelly, and her teacher, Ms. Fair, show Emily how much they care about her, and the story ends with a class party to celebrate all the beautiful pictures the children made.What makes this picture book so very special is the way that every illustration of Emily shows how she feels in body posture, facial expression, and her human energy field. When Emily is happy, soft colors of light shine around her head and shoulders. When Emily is sad, her head droops forward and she becomes transparent as her aura disappears. Every picture of her aura is delightfully different -- my favorite is the one where she is showing her friend, Kelly, how to draw a dinosaur and lots of bright colors surround her head, back, and arm! This is a gorgeous watercolor picture book that shows how feelings look in the human energy field. I give it my highest recommendation!-- Cynthia Sue Larson

Peter Catalanotto's Art

Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous, the talent illustrator's best work to date, with an outstanding story. Faced with an art competition, Emily learns how seeing the world through your own eyes is better than any prize. My pick for the Caldecott award!!! Get it while it's still in first printing!