Magritte's Apple

by Klaas Verplancke

Overview

A man named René floats through the world of his dreams and imagination, fulfilling his desire to become a painter—of apples and hats, apple hats, apple-these and apple-thats. In his paintings, leaves are lips, baguettes are noses, the right side is never up, and the upside is never down. Award-winning author Klaas Verplancke mashes everyday objects and words together in ways that are guaranteed to make kids laugh and think. René Magritte (Belgian, 1898–1967), one of the world’s most beloved artists, created whimsical, subversive paintings that helped launch the popularity of surrealism. His works combined words and images in novel, thought-provoking ways, and used humor and ordinary subjects to inspire viewers to question the world around them.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781633450165
Publisher:	ABRAMS
Publication date:	10/11/2016
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	943,926
Product dimensions:	9.30(w) x 12.00(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

Klaas Verplancke is a Belgian author, illustrator, and professor of illustration. His books have won multiple awards and his illustrations have been published in the New York Times, as well as in dozens of magazines and newspapers throughout Europe. He lives in Brussels.

Editorial Reviews

"With clever illustrations full of hints of the famed surrealist’s paintings, Verplancke offers an approachable, kid-friendly take on Magritte’s groundbreaking art style."

Booklist Online

The best children’s books also get adults thinking and, as an introduction to philosophy and the nature of language, this one certainly does.

London's Best Art Books for Kids 2016 Royal Academy of Arts

10/01/2016
PreS-Gr 3—Even the youngest of children will be drawn to surrealism with this appealing picture book introduction to the art of René Magritte. Readers witness the incredible, always-thinking mind of the artist. ("His canvas was empty, but his head was full. Full of ideas about objects and words.") An impromptu nap sets Magritte on a wonderful dream journey that incorporates many images and symbols from his actual paintings—an apple and a hat turn into an apple-hat. Verplancke even addresses Magritte's penchant for pairing words with the "wrong" images. ("He was a painter of words and things, and sometimes his words described other things.") Verplancke's illustrations manipulate Magritte's imagery in a way that simultaneously honors the spirit of the artist while expressing the illustrator's own sense of playfulness. Reproductions of six Magritte paintings appear at the end, and readers are invited to find images from those paintings in the book's artwork. His The Red Model, for example, is creatively alluded to in at least two of the illustrations. As odd as some of the imagery is, the visuals feel lighthearted and friendly, and the text is accessible. Verplancke presents the artist's work in a way that is enjoyable and comprehensible without being overly cute or condescending. A biography of the artist appears in the back with his photograph for the curious. VERDICT A beguiling addition to any collection of artist monographs for young children.—Suzanne LaPierre, Fairfax County Public Library, VA

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