Mousterpiece

My passion for books that showcase art and art history led me to Jane Breskin Zalben's latest title called Mousterpiece. The delightful book features a mouse named Janson who lived in a museum and would explore the space after hours. When she discovers artwork on the walls, "her little world opened", and she created in the styles used by those famous painters whose works she observed. She imitates Georges Seurat with dots and Georges Braque with square, triangle, and circle shapes. Janson's Matisse-like collage features a mouse surrounded by bright yellow bursts, and her Pollack-like splatters and drips show a mouse-shaped blank in the painting's center. My favorites of Janson's works are a Starry Night painting with swirls that resemble a mouse head in the night sky and a Chuck Close inspired mouse head. For readers who are unfamiliar with the artists and artwork featured in the book, the author included an excellent glossary to explain a bit more about each person and creation. This book would pair well with Don Freeman's Norman the Doorman!