Adventures in Asian Art: An Afternoon at the Museum

by Sue DiCicco, Deborah Clearwaters (With)

Overview

Ride on a rhino, become a samurai, or climb Mt. Fuji! Asia is an entire world of wonderful places to go and things to see and do!

Adventure in Asian Art takes kids on an imaginative tour of different Asian lands through a selection of artifacts at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco. From exhibit to exhibit, kids picture themselves in another time and place as they explore fans and screens, statues and armor, and more. Through a charming verse narrative, a cartoon mom takes her three cartoon kids through the museum for an afternoon of fun and learning. At the end, a series of fun facts about each of the exhibits explains the culture, beliefs, and daily life that resulted in these wonderful works of art.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780804847308
Publisher:	Tuttle Publishing
Publication date:	01/10/2017
Edition description:	2nd Edition, Hardcover with Jacket
Pages:	48
Product dimensions:	8.80(w) x 11.10(h) x 0.70(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Writer, illustrator, sculptor and former Disney animator, Sue DiCicco founded Armed with the Arts (ArmedWithTheArts.org), a program dedicated to encouraging creative expression in kids, and is the creator of the Peace Crane Project, with participation from over 150 countries. She has written dozens and illustrated hundreds of books for kids.

Deborah Clearwaters has her dream job as Director of Education and Interpretation at the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, where she has worked in education for 19 years. She has a master's degree in Japanese Art History from the University of Maryland and when not discovering fun facts about Asian art can be found riding her bicycle. This is her first contribution to a children's book.

Editorial Reviews

03/01/2017
K-Gr 2—The realm of Asian art and antiquities isn't what one would typically think of as child-friendly subject matter, but this book aims to change that. Three animated children explore San Francisco's Asian Art Museum with their mother, imagining what it might be like to wear samurai warrior armor from Japan or ride on the back of a glossy camel from ancient China. Each page contains a short passage of rhyming text, along with questions designed to encourage children to look more closely ("How many animals can you see surrounding the Buddha?") or make connections between the objects and their own lives and interests ("Do you wear protective gear for any of your favorite activities?"). The illustrations merge photographs of the museum's collection with cartoonish characters whose exaggerated expressions of curiosity and delight belie the somewhat serious endeavor of interpreting art. The endpapers are adorned with miniature images and item numbers for each piece that can be cross-referenced in the museum's online catalogue, welcoming readers to investigate further. The authors neatly synthesize a vast and complex subject into a read-aloud selection. VERDICT A useful title to precede museum field trips. This may also help meet a need for materials on Asian art appreciation for lower elementary schoolers.—Suzanne LaPierre, Fairfax County Public Library, VA

School Library Journal

"Sue DiCicco's beautiful and exuberant illustrations lead readers young and old on a lively tour of San Francisco's Asian Art Museum." —Retailing Insight magazine

"From a Japanese Samurai helmet to an Iranian Medallion rug, Adventures in Asian Art, An Afternoon at the Museum, gives children an introduction to a variety of Asian artwork. Join in the adventure and wander through the museum exhibit halls as you turn each page of the book." —The Educators' Spin on It blog

"Take a trip through the Asian Art Museum here in San Francisco to see Indian sculpture, Korean clothing, Indonesian puppets, an ancient bronze rhino from China, dragon vases, Japanese samurai armor and more. The perfect introduction to the museum, before you visit!" —TravelforKids.com

"Join three adventurous kids on a trip to the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco. From exploring ancient masterpieces to examining modern works, this book gives a glimpse of over 50 Asian art pieces." —Skipping Stones magazine

"As you read through the book, your child will explore popular Asian Art and learn some fun facts. Take a ride on a Rhino, become a Samurai, climb Mt. Fuji and more all in the span of 48 pages of these brilliant and engaging illustrations." —ParentingHealthy.com

"The story is written in simple, up-beat rhyme, blending the art with the child's imagination." —Tulsa Book Review

"Even if you're not planning on visiting the Asian Art Museum in SF, and instead are planning a visit to say the Asian wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, this book will give a first time child visitor a nice glimpse of what to expect and how to use their imagination when they see a piece of art at the museum." —8Asians.com

"A useful title to precede museum field trips. This may also help meet a need for materials on Asian art appreciation for lower elementary schoolers." —School Library Journal

From the Publisher