(3) K-3 Illustrated by Cristina Pieropan. "The world was changing. Paris was alive" begins Friedman's spare text, which follows Edgar Degas as he observes and records "life in motion." At each stop--a milliner's, a laundry, the racetrack, and the Opera House--related Degas reproductions are integrated into the story. This practical introduction to the artist's (and Impressionism's) fascination with everyday modern life includes lively, finely rendered cityscapes.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Cristina Amodeo. Friedman's spare, clear-eyed prose pairs with clean cut-paper illustrations to introduce readers to the development of Henri Matisse's late-career practice of cut-outs. Amodeo faithfully reflects the artist's techniques through layering and use of color ("experimenting with different harmonies and contrasts--the way colors played with and against each other"). Eight Matisse reproductions, some on foldouts, are interspersed throughout the book.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen