My Museum

by Joanne Liu

A young boy learns that art is all around us in this captivating picture book about a day at the museum. We all remember what it was like to be a child in a crowded art museum. It was hard to see, let alone appreciate the art. It got tiring. And there was so much else to look at! That's the lesson of this ingeniously simple yet profound book about art. It is everywhere--from another visitor's elaborate tattoos to the way the sun makes patterns of light on the floor. While other visitors are busy trying to find their way through the museum's galleries, or fighting for room to view a masterpiece, our hero examines the gallery upside down from a bench, plays with his shadow, and makes friends with the custodian. With a wink and a nod to serious museum-goers everywhere, Joanne Liu's whimsical illustrations remind us that sometimes the best kind of art is the kind you make yourself.

Genres: Picture Books, Art, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

Published November 7, 2017

Reviews

[Hilary · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. A boy and his mother visit an art gallery and we see them pass many well known paintings and sculptures. The boy reacts to the paintings by making some shadows reflecting the shapes he has seen. I think this could have had some more detail, or been longer, or thrown up some interesting thoughts? Nice bright illustrations in a fun style. There is no text to this story.

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

A young boy visits the museum in this wordless picture-book from talented debut author/artist Joanne Liu. He looks at the world-famous art, he looks at the people looking at the world-famous art, and he hangs on benches and plays with shadows, in imitation of the world-famous art. In short, he has a wonderful time at the museum...

I found My Museum quite appealing, with striking artwork that is more than capable of carrying the narrative interest. The publisher, London-based Prestel Publishing, seems to specialize in these well-designed, graphically interesting picture-books. My favorite moment, in the book, was the one showing the back and then the front of a line of people looking at a Jackson Pollock painting. The expressions on their faces were immensely droll! Recommended to fans of wordless picture-books, and to anyone looking for children's stories set at museums or addressing how we look at art.

[Rayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

wait why was this actually so good

[Josefine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clever and playful introduction to art for very young readers.

Follow Max as he goes to the Museum and discovers artworks and art in everyday life. Bright, bold and witty, Liu's illustrations form a visual narrative that invites conversation about the artworks, how people engage with them and how art can show us new ways of looking at the world.

[Deborah]

It's so appropriate that this book is wordless, forcing the reader to interpret the art of this story for themselves. It's a subtle and witty commentary on where visual art comes from, about paying attention with a child's sense of wonder, to the world around us.

[Ardyth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Charming wordless picture book of a boy wandering through his local art museum (which, coincidentally, hosts many famous pieces). This is a wordless book that probably will require the adult to do some talking so the child gets in the mood to notice patterns on the page. For young kids, especially.

I didn't realize it was wordless when I bought it... oyr 8yo son and I had a nice few minutes looking at it together. He's color blind (red/green/orange look the same, as do pink & grey)... it can be a challenge to find art that appeals to him, but this was okay since shape and pattern play a big role.

[Matt Law · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this cute and charming picture book at the shop of Royal Academy of Arts for my nephew. The book does not have any words and tells the story of Max visiting a museum with his mum. The illustrations are gorgeous with vivid colours. The boy is more interested in the people and the objects in the gallery than the actual artworks. As you can see from the cover, the boy is making a shadow imitating the the shape of the abstract artwork. It highlights the fact of:

"There is much more to see at the museum than just sculptures and paintings. Art is all around us, you just have to discover it.
Sometimes the best kind of art is the kind you make yourself."

[Jim Rugg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wordless picture book follows a child through a day at the museum and his observations of the art and experience. Beautiful art and pacing. Subtle storytelling focuses on atmosphere more than plot. Stunning, surprising, fun, and funny.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am an adult reading, and I like this book very much.
“Art is all around us, you just have to discover it”

The book shows Max’s visit to the museum. It is very interesting to use a third eye perspective to visit the museum. And the drawing are really nice;)

[Patricia Q · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Francine Fang · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cute book. Visit a museum in a child’s view.

[Earl · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun playful look at all the different and unexpected things you can see in a museum!

[Claudia Mendoza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Es un libro muy bello con referentes clásicos sobre el mundo del arte. Funciona muy bien como disparador para tratar temas sobre la filosofía, la estética y en general sobre como nos relacionamos con el mundo.

[Y.Poston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful!