Review by Booklist Review
Ages 5-8. A tousle-haired little boy, captivated by drawing, renders images of everything in sight till the family walls are a bursting showcase. Kindergarten art class was a disappointment; the crackly paint blew off the paper on Tommy's way home. First grade holds promise, despite an ominous warning from his brother about paper: ``you only get one piece.'' When his precious box of 64 Crayolas is vetoed and school crayons are given out instead (complete with the warning ``don't wear down the points''), Tommy's confronted with bureaucratic regimentation head on. But creativity and compromise will triumph as Tommy, put out at being told to copy the art teacher's drawing, is given liberty to do what he wants after the required work. In joyous agreement he keeps drawing and drawing, and still does today; readers seeing the adult artist at work on the last page will muse that this perceptive story is more than a trifle autobiographical. DePaola's well-honed, color-drenched artwork, in which infinite care in patterning combines with a wealth of facial expression composed from the simplest line, is warmly appealing; a deceptively simple approach underscored by pure craft. -- Phillis Wilson
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
PW called this picture book a ``gem . . . perhaps one of dePaola's best.'' Ages 4-8. (Apr.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2-- Tommy loves to draw. He draws happily through kindergarten, heeding the advice of his big cousins in art school: don't copy, and practice a lot. His admiring family provides appreciation and support, and a box of 64 crayons. School is a let-down: eight-color school crayons, paint that cracks and flakes, one sheet of paper apiece. Then the long-awaited art teacher comes. What a shock: she asks the class to copy her as she draws! Tommy refuses. A compromise is reached: Tommy copies the prescribed drawing and gets another piece of paper for his own picture. The perennial conflict between Individual and Authority, or between Artist and Society, lies behind this anecdote, and it's gratifying to see the small non-conformist accomodated. Everyone can enjoy dePaola's gentle autobiographical evocation of a loving family and a happy obsession. But most kids like to copy, and copying is essential to the discipline of learning. All great artists did it. DePaola's own style is eminently copyable, and this entertaining book shouldn't discourage young artists from drawing a few dePaolas on their way to copying Rubens. --Patricia Dooley, University of Washington, Seattle (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
The troubles and triumph of Tommy, who wants to be an artist when he grows up. At home, he's busy drawing pictures all the time and everywhere (even, once, on his sheets); at school, there are frustrations: in kindergarten, they use paint that cracks and blows off the paper on the way home; in first grade, the teacher insists that he use the clumsy school-issued crayons instead of his own big box of many colors. When the art teacher comes, instructions are strict: one piece of paper only, and--horrifying to Tommy, who knows that ""real artists don't copy""--everyone is to copy the same thing. Fortunately, however, a compromise is reached: he will do the assignment; then, he may have more paper to do his own picture. Simple, straightforward, illustrated with sympathy and humor, this autobiographical story makes a vital point. Teachers, please note! The ""lesson"" is for you. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
