The+Noisy+Paintbox



// The Noisy Paint Box // : The Colors and Sounds of Kandinsky Abstract Art **Author:** Barb Rosenstock **Illustrator:** Mary Grandpre **Publisher:** Alfred A. Knopf, Random House Children’s Books **Format:** Hardcover- $10.52 (Amazon) **ISBN:** 13: 978-0307978486 **Reading level:** Preschool- 3rd Grade **Age range:** 4-8 Years **Pages:** 40 **Language:** English
 * Book Review by: Julia Lubrano **

This book is about a young boy named Vasya Kandinsky. Vasya was raised a proper boy. One day, his family gave him a paint box and expected Vasya to paint flowers and houses like a proper artist. When Vasya opened the paint box, he couldn’t help but to mix the bright colors and created new colors. As he mixed the colors he kept hearing different sounds. As he mixed and used the colors to paint it created a sound like an orchestra. As Vasya gets older he decides he wants to create abstract art and break away from his once proper life. I really enjoyed this book. I liked how the book started off in a routine type of format. The word choices and pictures really created a vibe. The vibe felt as if I were in the book. It also made me feel like I was Vasya, trapped in a long lasting boring rut. I also enjoyed the plot. I feel that the plot is exactly what a child would imagine, or at least this is what I would have imagined when I was a child. I also think that because this is not common, it was very interesting to see the end result of the story.
 * Summary: **
 * Book Review: **

Barb Rosenstock was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois on April Fools Day. Her favorite memories of her childhood is playing with her dolls and rocks on her front yard of her parent’s home. Barb has written many nonfiction and historical fiction picture books for children. Some books written by Barb are, //Ben Franklin’s Big Splash, The Noisy Paintbox, Thomas Jefferson Builds a Library, The camping Trip That Changed America, The Little Mountain//, and //Fearless//. All of these books are about well known people from he past. Barb has been inspired to write books about the past because she loves learning about the past and recalling memories. Before starting her writing career, Barb was in the advertising and marketing business. She then left the cooperate world to become and mother, teacher, and a children’s writer. Currently, she lives in the northern suburbs of Chicago with her husband, two children, and her dogs.
 * About the Author: **

The literary element that first stood out to me as soon as I opened the book was the illustrations. The book started off in black and white, creating a dull atmosphere. There are also many details within the characters’ expression and the setting of the book. The black and white color scheme create the hostile vibe. I also really liked how when Vasya was introduced and exposed to the colors, as his world changed, so did the atmosphere of the book. The pictures were so detailed it felt as if I can feel how the characters were feeling in the book. I also liked the dialogue being used in the book. The dialogue gave me a better sense of how the characters in the book acted and their personalities, along with their expectations. It also offers diverse potential. Together, the words and pictures created a wonderful book.
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