8 Ways to Draw an Elephant
Paola Ferrarotti & various artists
Tara Books
Before even opening this unusual book I suspect I was predisposed to like it. I’m a huge fan of Indian art and elephants, and over numerous visits have collected a fair number of both two and three dimensional representations, several of which I’ve actually watched being created.
Now here’s an opportunity to introduce children to Indian art from a number of different traditions, with artistic representation from eight artists being showcased, each in a double spread.
Before that though, the book begins with a vital question: What it art? This is followed by four images of elephants: a photo, a drawing, an outline and a creative representation and Paulo Ferrarotti goes on to encourage readers to think about each medium and the similarities and differences between the resulting images. Indeed the narrative throughout the entire book is not about giving answers, rather, its concern is with getting children to do their own thinking – education in the true sense i.e. opening up.
The book provides blank outline templates for children to try out their own ideas having looked closely at the example of each style; those included being Rajasthani Meena …

Patua from West Bengal, Saora from Orissa/Odisha and Madhubani from Bihar.

Interestingly though, the elephants themselves are both Indian and African. At the back on the cover flap is a brief outline of each of the artistic traditions represented and opposite is an almost completely blank page, with a few words inviting children to draw and decorate their own elephant, asking ‘What is the elephant eating? Is it raining or sunny? Day or night?’
All in all, this is a fascinating and exciting, creative learning opportunity for the young (and not so young).
What next? Sun representations? Or if you want to stick to animals: Camels? Horses? Peacocks? There’s plenty of scope where Indian art is concerned.

The Little Caillebotte
Catherine de Duve
Kate ‘Art Editions
In this unassuming little book, Catherine De Duve, art historian and painter who worked at the Royal Museum of Fine Arts of Belgium, introduces readers to impressionist painter Gustave Caillebotte. The artist spent some of his time in Yerres, (some 20 km from Paris) and this is featured in many of his paintings, some of which are shown herein. Art however was only one of his many passions and talents:

he also loved sailing, gardening and naval architecture, and was a philanthropist. Information about all of this is included; and we learn too, of his friendships with other impressionist painters Monet and Renoir.
I knew very little about this artist save for some of his paintings until I read this fascinating introduction. It’s a book to get children thinking about art – Caillebotte’s of course, but also about impressionism, their own art, the countryside, the town and more: I really like the way that the narrative draws in and engages young readers.

Use your local bookshop