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The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse
A brilliant new Eric Carle picture book for the artist in us all
Every child has an artist inside them, and this vibrant new picture book from Eric Carle will help let it out. The artist in this book paints the world as he sees it, just like a child. There's a red crocodile, an orange elephant, a purple fox and a polka-dotted donkey. More than anything, there's imagination. Filled with some of the most magnificently colorful animals of Eric Carle's career, this tribute to the creative life celebrates the power of art.
Every child has an artist inside them, and this vibrant new picture book from Eric Carle will help let it out. The artist in this book paints the world as he sees it, just like a child. There's a red crocodile, an orange elephant, a purple fox and a polka-dotted donkey. More than anything, there's imagination. Filled with some of the most magnificently colorful animals of Eric Carle's career, this tribute to the creative life celebrates the power of art.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published October 4, 2011
20 people are currently reading
1718 people want to read
About the author
Eric Carle
751 books2,457 followersEric Carle was an American author, designer and illustrator of children's books. His picture book The Very Hungry Caterpillar, first published in 1969, has been translated into more than 66 languages and sold more than 50 million copies. Carle's career as an illustrator and children's book author accelerated after he collaborated on Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?. Carle illustrated more than 70 books, most of which he also wrote, and more than 145 million copies of his books have been sold around the world.
In 2003, the American Library Association awarded Carle the biennial Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal (now called the Children's Literature Legacy Award), a prize for writers or illustrators of children's books published in the U.S. who have made lasting contributions to the field. Carle was also a U.S. nominee for the biennial, international Hans Christian Andersen Award in 2010.
In 2003, the American Library Association awarded Carle the biennial Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal (now called the Children's Literature Legacy Award), a prize for writers or illustrators of children's books published in the U.S. who have made lasting contributions to the field. Carle was also a U.S. nominee for the biennial, international Hans Christian Andersen Award in 2010.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 318 reviews
September 25, 2024
I have to say that I am a little disappointed with and by The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse. I have always loved Eric Carle's artwork, and the illustrations are indeed lovely, evocative, exuberant, pure Eric Carle magic. But no, I do not really find the featured narrative all that interesting and engaging in and of itself (and I also do not really see exactly how the presented, featured text of The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse is or can even be remotely regarded as an actual homage to Franz Marc, the illustrations, perhaps, if not even definitely, but the printed words that accompany said illustrations, not so much). For in may opinion, if Eric Carle had truly wanted to have both the narrative and the illustrations appear as an actual homage to Franz Marc the Expressionist artist, why did he not simply make his artist figure into Franz Marc? It still would make The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse textually a rather simplistic offering for young children, but it would also show a narrative that actually has some meaning and some actual potential connection to Franz Marc, to the artist himself.
Now all that being said, I really do oh so much appreciate the additional information about Eric Carle's childhood in Nazi era Germany at the back of The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse(wonderful and informative, but also bery much thought-provoking). And although this is not mentioned in the author's note itself, the fact that Eric's art teacher, Herr Krauss, secretly showed him Expressionist art, and mentioned to him not only that the Nazis had no appreciation for art, but that they were and I quote charlatans, that was both incredibly brave and extremely risky (for the Nazis generally much relied on rumor and innuendo, and if Eric had either intentionally or even just unintentionally mentioned his talk with the art teacher, and the authorities had somehow gotten wind of this, Herr Krauss could easily have faced very, very serious and perhaps even potentially fatal, lethal consequences).
But sadly, while the biographical information regarding Franz Marc (from the author's note of The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse) is basically and generally factually adequate, one important and supremely tragic aspect of Franz Marc's life has unfortunately not been mentioned. For like so many European Expressionists (both writers and artists), Franz Marc originally did very much welcome WWI as some sort of futuristic dream, a strong, willful current to clean and beautify a decrepit and decadent society. And like many European Expressionist authors and artists who had voluntarily enlisted in their respective armies, Franz Marc realised much too late that war was never a positive, but a philosophy, a way of thinking that begat only death and destruction (not only his own death int the trenches, but the deaths of thousands and thousands, among them many of the brightest and most promising literary and artistic lights of their age). And while I do realise and know that a detailed analysis of Expressionism and the attitude of the Expressionists towards WWI would most definitely have been above and beyond the scope of this book (it would simply have been too much information for a picture book, for most non academic literature, in fact), I still do strongly believe that the unfortunate and tragic truth that Franz Marc had originally and quite readily supported the Great War should have at least been mentioned in the author's note, as this is not only an important aspect of Franz Marc's biography, his very being, it also underlines not only the futility and destructive deadlines of war, but that war often can and does have the vile power to influence and negatively enchant. And finally, I would recommend the text, the main narrative body of Eric Carle's The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse for younger children (ages two to maybe about five, and of course the illustrations, but they are recommended for anyone and everyone). The author's notes, however, would definitely be considerably more suitable for older children, as younger children would not only likely have trouble understanding, grasping the presented materials, the information might also be potentially frightening (such as the fact that Franz Marc was killed in WWI, or that during the Nazi era, art and artists not in line with the authorities were often deemed to be degenerate, and faced much condemnation, danger, even imprisonment and execution).
Now all that being said, I really do oh so much appreciate the additional information about Eric Carle's childhood in Nazi era Germany at the back of The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse(wonderful and informative, but also bery much thought-provoking). And although this is not mentioned in the author's note itself, the fact that Eric's art teacher, Herr Krauss, secretly showed him Expressionist art, and mentioned to him not only that the Nazis had no appreciation for art, but that they were and I quote charlatans, that was both incredibly brave and extremely risky (for the Nazis generally much relied on rumor and innuendo, and if Eric had either intentionally or even just unintentionally mentioned his talk with the art teacher, and the authorities had somehow gotten wind of this, Herr Krauss could easily have faced very, very serious and perhaps even potentially fatal, lethal consequences).
But sadly, while the biographical information regarding Franz Marc (from the author's note of The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse) is basically and generally factually adequate, one important and supremely tragic aspect of Franz Marc's life has unfortunately not been mentioned. For like so many European Expressionists (both writers and artists), Franz Marc originally did very much welcome WWI as some sort of futuristic dream, a strong, willful current to clean and beautify a decrepit and decadent society. And like many European Expressionist authors and artists who had voluntarily enlisted in their respective armies, Franz Marc realised much too late that war was never a positive, but a philosophy, a way of thinking that begat only death and destruction (not only his own death int the trenches, but the deaths of thousands and thousands, among them many of the brightest and most promising literary and artistic lights of their age). And while I do realise and know that a detailed analysis of Expressionism and the attitude of the Expressionists towards WWI would most definitely have been above and beyond the scope of this book (it would simply have been too much information for a picture book, for most non academic literature, in fact), I still do strongly believe that the unfortunate and tragic truth that Franz Marc had originally and quite readily supported the Great War should have at least been mentioned in the author's note, as this is not only an important aspect of Franz Marc's biography, his very being, it also underlines not only the futility and destructive deadlines of war, but that war often can and does have the vile power to influence and negatively enchant. And finally, I would recommend the text, the main narrative body of Eric Carle's The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse for younger children (ages two to maybe about five, and of course the illustrations, but they are recommended for anyone and everyone). The author's notes, however, would definitely be considerably more suitable for older children, as younger children would not only likely have trouble understanding, grasping the presented materials, the information might also be potentially frightening (such as the fact that Franz Marc was killed in WWI, or that during the Nazi era, art and artists not in line with the authorities were often deemed to be degenerate, and faced much condemnation, danger, even imprisonment and execution).
November 8, 2019
Read it in Spanish and me and the roomies loved it! Pointed out all different kinds of animals and colors. Liked the story behind the artist. Eric Carle is amazing in his beliefs about letting kids be kids and creating a fun and imaginative lifestyle. As a parent I would like the idea of encouragement in an artistic book.
Muy lindo!
Muy lindo!
September 15, 2021
A young child decides he wants to paint a blue horse. They do, and then paint other animals in unconventional colours. Once they've presumably ran out of canvases or been told it's their bedtime, they then declare: 'I am a good artist'.
Art: 4/5
Silly, colourful collages that'll have a toddler goggling happily enough.
Intent: 2/5
The stated argument in the book's dustcover is that it will encourage the wee ones to be more creative, draw outside the lines and go wild with colours, rather than mindlessly paint by numbers or strictly follow the art teacher's curriculum. While that is a nice sentiment, it sounds like emptying a bucket of water into the Atlantic to make the sea wet.
Any child young enough to enjoy this simplistic book is unlikely to be in school yet, and therefore not under the oppressive regime of the teacher from Pink Floyd's The Wall. Secondly and most importantly, at that age they're already drawing whatever they hell they like, as they like, whether that be blue grass, or their elder brother with devil horns and being run over by a steam roller.
Years later, when they come home upset because Mr Hobson told them they're rubbish at using perspective lines, reminding them of this book and that art is subjective will likely get you a response of 'I read that when I was two, Parental Figure. And how the hell is painting a turquoise hamster going to help me get into Uni for my architecture degree?'
At the end there's a brief biography of another person who drew a blue horse, the fauvist Franz Marc, and this bit is definitely not aimed at children, because no toddler will be able to pronounce 'expressionist movements' let alone understand its meaning.
Just to sound less cynical, Eric Carle did have a legitimate motive for this work, which stops me from seeing this as just an obnoxious gentrification of pre-school books and the literary version of selling 'Mozart for Babies' to make them smarter, simply by name dropping fine artists.
Carle lived through Nazi Germany, and was in school just in time for the Nazi's to ban 'degenerate art'. A teacher secretly showed him some of the ilicit works, shocking the young student as the teacher explained the looseness and colourful abandon of the paintings, lamenting that his charges could not express themselves likewise under the regime.
That's a good lesson, a fantastic lesson even. The power that a simple picture of a blue horse could remain emblazoned in someone's mind for decades, digging itself far deeper than the state propaganda. But in many ways I feel more annoyed because the book doesn't give that lesson the importance or weight it justly deserves. Maybe if there'd been a parent/teacher/bully laughing at or scolding the child for using an unusual palette choice, and they bravely ignore the criticism to remain happy with their work, that would have meant something, but as it stands the book seems not only rather flippant but unlikely to stand out in any child's mind for very long.
I'm aware I'm overthinking this, but something about this book rubbed me the wrong way. Perhaps I should calm myself by drawing Boris Johnson with brown hair and green skin. In a dock being pelted by pink wallpaper and rotten, purple watermelons.
Art: 4/5
Silly, colourful collages that'll have a toddler goggling happily enough.
Intent: 2/5
The stated argument in the book's dustcover is that it will encourage the wee ones to be more creative, draw outside the lines and go wild with colours, rather than mindlessly paint by numbers or strictly follow the art teacher's curriculum. While that is a nice sentiment, it sounds like emptying a bucket of water into the Atlantic to make the sea wet.
Any child young enough to enjoy this simplistic book is unlikely to be in school yet, and therefore not under the oppressive regime of the teacher from Pink Floyd's The Wall. Secondly and most importantly, at that age they're already drawing whatever they hell they like, as they like, whether that be blue grass, or their elder brother with devil horns and being run over by a steam roller.
Years later, when they come home upset because Mr Hobson told them they're rubbish at using perspective lines, reminding them of this book and that art is subjective will likely get you a response of 'I read that when I was two, Parental Figure. And how the hell is painting a turquoise hamster going to help me get into Uni for my architecture degree?'
At the end there's a brief biography of another person who drew a blue horse, the fauvist Franz Marc, and this bit is definitely not aimed at children, because no toddler will be able to pronounce 'expressionist movements' let alone understand its meaning.
Just to sound less cynical, Eric Carle did have a legitimate motive for this work, which stops me from seeing this as just an obnoxious gentrification of pre-school books and the literary version of selling 'Mozart for Babies' to make them smarter, simply by name dropping fine artists.
Carle lived through Nazi Germany, and was in school just in time for the Nazi's to ban 'degenerate art'. A teacher secretly showed him some of the ilicit works, shocking the young student as the teacher explained the looseness and colourful abandon of the paintings, lamenting that his charges could not express themselves likewise under the regime.
That's a good lesson, a fantastic lesson even. The power that a simple picture of a blue horse could remain emblazoned in someone's mind for decades, digging itself far deeper than the state propaganda. But in many ways I feel more annoyed because the book doesn't give that lesson the importance or weight it justly deserves. Maybe if there'd been a parent/teacher/bully laughing at or scolding the child for using an unusual palette choice, and they bravely ignore the criticism to remain happy with their work, that would have meant something, but as it stands the book seems not only rather flippant but unlikely to stand out in any child's mind for very long.
I'm aware I'm overthinking this, but something about this book rubbed me the wrong way. Perhaps I should calm myself by drawing Boris Johnson with brown hair and green skin. In a dock being pelted by pink wallpaper and rotten, purple watermelons.
January 14, 2013
2 STARS for the story (mostly for the illustrations, actually) but an additional star for the biographical information provided at the end.
I was very disappointed in this book, I'm afraid. I really could not reconcile the "story" aspect with the biographical information in this book. I thought going into it that it was a biography of Carle, then I thought maybe it was supposed to be a biography of Franz Marc (whose art inspired Carle) after I read the biographical info at the back. I realize the two are rather interrelated as Marc influenced Carle, but I just found the story itself very lackluster and it did not, to me, show any sort of storytelling magic or biographical usefulness. The illustrations were great and classic Carle, though; I think my favorite was the green lion :-)
I guess I would give the story itself is probably be best suited to younger children. The biographical information seemed a bit beyond the level of the rest of the book, and while I appreciated what was offered, I felt there could have been more. Or maybe I was just frustrated that more wasn't included in the story proper and geared toward that younger picture book audience. As it is, I think parents/educators need to bring a lot to the story. Even ignoring the history/biography aspect, I'm not sure Carle's message about how it is okay to paint something differently than how it appears in real life really came through. It just seemed to me a story about a boy who liked to paint animals.
I was very disappointed in this book, I'm afraid. I really could not reconcile the "story" aspect with the biographical information in this book. I thought going into it that it was a biography of Carle, then I thought maybe it was supposed to be a biography of Franz Marc (whose art inspired Carle) after I read the biographical info at the back. I realize the two are rather interrelated as Marc influenced Carle, but I just found the story itself very lackluster and it did not, to me, show any sort of storytelling magic or biographical usefulness. The illustrations were great and classic Carle, though; I think my favorite was the green lion :-)
I guess I would give the story itself is probably be best suited to younger children. The biographical information seemed a bit beyond the level of the rest of the book, and while I appreciated what was offered, I felt there could have been more. Or maybe I was just frustrated that more wasn't included in the story proper and geared toward that younger picture book audience. As it is, I think parents/educators need to bring a lot to the story. Even ignoring the history/biography aspect, I'm not sure Carle's message about how it is okay to paint something differently than how it appears in real life really came through. It just seemed to me a story about a boy who liked to paint animals.
November 23, 2011
I wanted to love this even more than I did because I loved: the art, the author’s note at the end about Franz Marc and the inclusion of one of that artist’s blue horse paintings, and I love the message that using atypical colors can be fine art.
But, there’s no story here at all. It just shows the artist saying he’s painting this animal in that color and that animal in this color. That’s the entire book.
The simplicity of the text and the big boldly colored illustrations make it a suitable book for the very young, but it’s children who are slightly older who will most appreciate the message here, yet the text may be too simple to hold their attention. I’m conflicted about this book.
3 ½ stars
But, there’s no story here at all. It just shows the artist saying he’s painting this animal in that color and that animal in this color. That’s the entire book.
The simplicity of the text and the big boldly colored illustrations make it a suitable book for the very young, but it’s children who are slightly older who will most appreciate the message here, yet the text may be too simple to hold their attention. I’m conflicted about this book.
3 ½ stars
June 9, 2019
Apparently intended as a tribute to expressionist painter Marc Franz, to whose work Eric Carle was secretly introduced as a young boy living in Nazi Germany - Franz's artwork was considered "degenerate" by the Nazis, and was forbidden, but Carle's teacher took a great risk, and showed it to him anyway - The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse follows a young artist as he creates a series of animals in vivid colors. Unconcerned with finding the "right" color, he creates a blue horse, a red crocodile, and a polka-dotted donkey, demonstrating that, in art, there are no wrong choices.
Chosen as one of our January selections over in The Picture-Book Club to which I belong, where our theme was "Books About Artists" (I'm running a little behind in my reading schedule), this visually striking title imparts an important message about the creative process - that we should follow our own course, and work from our own impressions, rather than trying to do things "properly," according to someone else's standard - without ever becoming didactic. A brief afterword gives more details about Marc Franz, but this isn't a biography, or even a non-fiction treatment of art, it's really more of a concept book about colors, animals, and the creative process, and can be read on a variety of levels. Toddlers, I imagine, will just be drawn to the bright colors and simple design, while slightly older children will also appreciate the ideas presented.
Chosen as one of our January selections over in The Picture-Book Club to which I belong, where our theme was "Books About Artists" (I'm running a little behind in my reading schedule), this visually striking title imparts an important message about the creative process - that we should follow our own course, and work from our own impressions, rather than trying to do things "properly," according to someone else's standard - without ever becoming didactic. A brief afterword gives more details about Marc Franz, but this isn't a biography, or even a non-fiction treatment of art, it's really more of a concept book about colors, animals, and the creative process, and can be read on a variety of levels. Toddlers, I imagine, will just be drawn to the bright colors and simple design, while slightly older children will also appreciate the ideas presented.
June 6, 2021
I was a little confused going in, because I thought this book was about Eric Carle, but it’s the artist encouraging kids to paint/draw, unconstrained by rules. The book is also a little bit about a German painter named Franz Marc (who died during WWI) who painted his subjects, frequently animals, in unconventional colours and not in strictly realistic ways. I can see how Marc’s work would have been quite an influence on Eric Carle’s work.
So, text 2 stars. Artwork 5 stars.
So, text 2 stars. Artwork 5 stars.
October 19, 2011
We've loved Eric Carle's books and have read some of them (like The Very Hungry Caterpillar) so many times that our own board book copies have fallen apart. So when we saw this book, I just knew we had to borrow it.
I was afraid that our girls would think it was too young and babyish for them, but they really liked it too. And I loved the information about Franz Marc, who inspired the book as well as the expanded biographical information about the author and his art teacher's boldness and bravery during the repressive Nazi regime.
This story was selected as one of the books for the January 2013 - Books about Artists discussion at the Picture-Book Club in the Children's Books Group here at Goodreads.
I was afraid that our girls would think it was too young and babyish for them, but they really liked it too. And I loved the information about Franz Marc, who inspired the book as well as the expanded biographical information about the author and his art teacher's boldness and bravery during the repressive Nazi regime.
This story was selected as one of the books for the January 2013 - Books about Artists discussion at the Picture-Book Club in the Children's Books Group here at Goodreads.
January 22, 2013
My four year old loves this book and has asked me to read it over and over again. She even enjoyed the author's note. Eric Carle was inspired by Franz Marc who painted animals in bright and unusual colors, particularly blue horses. She has asked me to tell her about Franz Marc over and over again and how he died during the war with a sketchbook in his pocket. I know that some felt like the story is too simple...and it is very simple... or that the author's biographical note about Franz Marc and autobiographical note about himself didn't quite fit...but I think it works for its intended audience of young children.
February 18, 2012
First off, my son was so EXCITED when he saw the cover this book! He said: "Oh, oh, oh! I know this author! He writes the story and is the illustrator for all of the books I like!" I love that we both have had the opportunity to grow up with Eric Carle's works, let's hope he passes the books on to the next generation.
Secondly, this is a bright, fun, and creative story about an artist painting uniquely colored animals. The donkey was our favorite.
Great book for young children.
Secondly, this is a bright, fun, and creative story about an artist painting uniquely colored animals. The donkey was our favorite.
Great book for young children.
November 23, 2011
Eric Carle draws animals in crazy and unexpected colors, all beautiful and bright and magnificent. He is right when he says, “I am a good artist.”
“I am an artist
and I paint…
a blue horse
and…
a red crocodile
and…”
I just can't think logically about an Eric Carle book. I love it. Unconditionally.
“I am an artist
and I paint…
a blue horse
and…
a red crocodile
and…”
I just can't think logically about an Eric Carle book. I love it. Unconditionally.
December 14, 2011
This is a concept book rather than either a biography ( of Franz Marc, German born painter killed in WWI)or fiction. Great for inspiring children to exercise freedom of expression, teaching colors, shapes, and other basic art concepts. The author's note also tells how reactionary the Nazi regime was, forbidding any kind of modern or abstract art.
May 8, 2012
I love the theme behind this book. The idea that just because something is usually done in one way, doesn't mean it is wrong to do it another way is an important theme. Children especially are vulnerable to the idea that there is only one way to do something. This book helps counter that idea, by suggesting that exercising our creativity is a good thing. The illustrations are typical Carle, simple in shape, yet complex in design. Of course children aren't going to see most of that. The classes I shared this with giggled through the whole read-a-loud. This is undoubtedly because the animals are different colors than one would see in the real world. Not only is there a blue horse, but a yellow cow, a pink rabbit, a green lion, and an orange elephant. I highly recommend this book for sharing and teaching.
September 20, 2011
With simple text and his trademark painted tissue paper collage, Eric Carle celebrates the artist inside each of us while paying tribute to artist Franz Marc whose nontraditional paintings such as Blue Horse I, painted in 1911, were controversial at the time because of their use of unusual colors. In this picture book a young artist uses his imagination to paint a blue horse, a red crocodile, a yellow cow, a green lion, and even a donkey with a rainbow of polka dots across its side. Back matter includes information on Franz Marc and a note about the author/illustrator's early years in Germany when the Nazi regime considered abstract art to be degenerate. The colors pulse vividly on these pages, possibly inspiring a future generation of artists or other creative individuals.
March 13, 2016
The good - the 20 month old LOVES this book. She learned all the animal names and noises by demanding to know what the animals in this book were saying.
The bad - She learned the word fox and really likes foxes, but it doesn't sound like fox when she says it. Loudly. In public.
The bad - She learned the word fox and really likes foxes, but it doesn't sound like fox when she says it. Loudly. In public.
April 2, 2024
The book is about an Artist, who paints different animals in different colors. He talking about it. At the end of the book, he admits that he is a good Artist.
Thats all...
Children can see nice illustrations. Nice book :)
Thats all...
Children can see nice illustrations. Nice book :)
July 26, 2017
A fantastic tool to show what beautiful works of art can be produced if you let you imagination run free. Bonus points for the additional biographical information for the adult reader.
April 26, 2025
Sweet tribute to German artist Franz Marc.
December 16, 2011
The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse by Eric Carle pays tribute to Blue Rider (Blaue Reiter), created by painter Franz Marc (1880-1916), emulating Marc's creations of fancifully colored animals, making this a celebration of the artistic spirit.
This story is about an artist who paints beautiful animals in bright, vibrant colors not associated with those animals: such as a polka dot donkey, a green lion, a black polar bear, or a red crocodile. The main text is in a large bold font, and simple words, making it easy to read.
At the end of the book there is a brief biography of painter Franz Marc. In an Artists note, Carle says; “When I was in high school, in WWII Germany, I was secretly shown works by the banned Expressionist painters by my teacher Herr Krauss. This was an experience that changed my life and had a deep impact on me.” “My green lion, polka-dotted donkey and other animals painted in the ‘wrong’ colours were really born that day seventy years ago.” Thus Carle creates his own illustrations based on Marc's work, to celebrate it.
Carle's illustrations were created with painted tissue-paper collage. The use of the bright colors not usually associated with the various animals celebrates creativity and the concept that there are no "wrong" colors to use.
Some readers will not appreciate the lack of a story. I wish there had been more examples of Franz Marc's paintings or sketches. Some reviewers on Goodreads seem to have reacted negatively towards the sentence: "I am a good artist." as if Carle is bragging, rather than trying to say that art can be creative or original, and that is good. Despite the lack of story, this can be useful in encouraging creativity in art.
For ages 2 to 7, teachers, animals, imagination, color, creativity, Franz Marc, Blue Rider (Blaue Reiter), and fans of Eric Carle.
This story is about an artist who paints beautiful animals in bright, vibrant colors not associated with those animals: such as a polka dot donkey, a green lion, a black polar bear, or a red crocodile. The main text is in a large bold font, and simple words, making it easy to read.
At the end of the book there is a brief biography of painter Franz Marc. In an Artists note, Carle says; “When I was in high school, in WWII Germany, I was secretly shown works by the banned Expressionist painters by my teacher Herr Krauss. This was an experience that changed my life and had a deep impact on me.” “My green lion, polka-dotted donkey and other animals painted in the ‘wrong’ colours were really born that day seventy years ago.” Thus Carle creates his own illustrations based on Marc's work, to celebrate it.
Carle's illustrations were created with painted tissue-paper collage. The use of the bright colors not usually associated with the various animals celebrates creativity and the concept that there are no "wrong" colors to use.
Some readers will not appreciate the lack of a story. I wish there had been more examples of Franz Marc's paintings or sketches. Some reviewers on Goodreads seem to have reacted negatively towards the sentence: "I am a good artist." as if Carle is bragging, rather than trying to say that art can be creative or original, and that is good. Despite the lack of story, this can be useful in encouraging creativity in art.
For ages 2 to 7, teachers, animals, imagination, color, creativity, Franz Marc, Blue Rider (Blaue Reiter), and fans of Eric Carle.
July 27, 2013
Read at an Off-site Preschool Class Visit on 1/11/12: http://storytimesecrets.blogspot.com/...
Read at Baby/Toddler Story Time on 1/31/12: http://storytimesecrets.blogspot.com/...
Read at Drop-In Story Time on 8/28/12: http://storytimesecrets.blogspot.com/...
Read at Drop-In Story Time on 2/19/13: http://storytimesecrets.blogspot.com/...
Read at Toddler Lap Time on 7/26/13: http://storytimesecrets.blogspot.com/...
Read at Baby/Toddler Story Time on 1/31/12: http://storytimesecrets.blogspot.com/...
Read at Drop-In Story Time on 8/28/12: http://storytimesecrets.blogspot.com/...
Read at Drop-In Story Time on 2/19/13: http://storytimesecrets.blogspot.com/...
Read at Toddler Lap Time on 7/26/13: http://storytimesecrets.blogspot.com/...
February 27, 2012
Eric Carle has had many picture books over the years, but for me personally this is the one that just shouts joy! It is so apparent in these illustrations that Mr. Carle has a deep abiding soul of an artist. His purple fox and polka dotted donkey are stunning. When viewing these illustrations I was reminded of the riots of color found on various horses sculptures in Lexinton, Ky. several years ago. Also in Belzoni, MS there are a number of catfish lavishly displayed in brilliant colors. This book brought back such good memories of all those colorful horses and catfish that I enjoyed in Kentucky and Mississippi.
October 8, 2012
Simple storytelling coupled with vivid imagery make this newest release by acclaimed children's author Eric Carle truly remarkable. Especially interesting to me, as an adult, was his inspiration for the storybook: the works of Franz Marc, whose painting, The Blue Horse, was banned by the Nazis during WWII. The abnormal colors and composition of his art were thought to be an abomination and an insult to art itself. In this book, however, Carle presents the notion that any and all art is interesting and worthwhile, leaving with the reader the message that the idea of "bad" art should never hamper a child's creativity; in fact, he touts that individuality should be praised. Five stars!
April 19, 2017
Last week our theme was favorite authors.
This week it is colors.
This book was a great segway from last week (when we read The Very Hungry Caterpillar) into this one. It is another gem by Eric Carle. Such a simple book but such a lovely message. I remind the kids as we are reading it that the pictures are 'paintings' it is not about the absurd, and I conclude the story saying 'The author wants you to know that as an artist you can be as creative as you'd like".
This week it is colors.
This book was a great segway from last week (when we read The Very Hungry Caterpillar) into this one. It is another gem by Eric Carle. Such a simple book but such a lovely message. I remind the kids as we are reading it that the pictures are 'paintings' it is not about the absurd, and I conclude the story saying 'The author wants you to know that as an artist you can be as creative as you'd like".
October 23, 2017
This is one of my favorite read-aloud books for the library storytime I do. It has bold, bright, interesting pictures and simple text that is perfect for my 0-3 age group. And then, I can add more info about Eric Carle’s childhood and the artist Franz Marc to engage older kids and adults. Even my littlest ones get that it’s silly not to be able to color a horse whatever color you want, and we finish off with an art project coloring all sorts of rainbow horses.
April 24, 2017
Picture book. I wanted to love this book because I love Eric Carle, but there’s no story here at all. It just shows the artist saying he’s painting this animal in that color and that animal in this color. That’s the entire book. Its a really simple book, great for very young kids who are just beginning to read or cant read yet.
May 27, 2021
Carle's book that is most accessible to the youngest of readers is also (thanks in part but not entirely to an endnote) his most political, defiant, historically-minded, and hopeful, and one that recontextualises all his work along those lines. startling, exciting, vivid, page-turning, encouraging, and simple, simply breathtaking.
June 21, 2016
Beautiful artwork. Not part of the story, but the afterword gives the story of Carle's experience growing up in Nazi Germany that brings new meaning to the simple text. Perfect choice for art/history lessons!
July 24, 2021
I'm a fan of Franz Marc, the artist who inspired this book by Eric Carle. Baby enjoyed this book greatly, but after a week and a half, she lost interest. So glad we don't need to go buy this one. But it's fun to see the different animal/color interterpations.
October 15, 2011
I enjoyed the Youtube video of Eric Carle talking about his inspiration for this book. The book would be wonderful to share with children along with the video, and then talk about who inspires us.
October 30, 2011
It's a deceptively simple book, but the information in the back about the artist Franz Marc and Eric Carle's early art training make it amazing.
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