(2) K-3 Illustrated by Mary Grandpré. Rosenstock and GrandPré (The Noisy Paint Box, rev. 1/14; Vincent Can't Sleep, rev. 11/17; Through the Window, rev. 9/18) provide an impression of the artist over a single morning, as Claude Monet sets out on his studio barge to paint the river Seine as the sun rises. His process for creating the "Morning on the Seine" series is intriguing, fresh, and very particular. Rosenstock carefully describes his setting up each canvas alongside the next, painting quickly on each in turn as the sun rises and changes the light on the water. Through her ­illustrations of that one morning, from 3 a.m. until family breakfast a few hours later, GrandPré captures Monet's style, mimicking with acrylic paint and ink his brushstrokes and use of color so the viewer learns about the artist while getting a feel for the texture of the art itself; five images of Monet's work are appended. ­Rosenstock's text is engaging and well researched (although without specific endnotes, it is not entirely clear if she is extrapolating when she describes Monet's feelings: "He imagines [the sun's] warmth playing on the face of his wife Alice, still asleep"). Still, the solid list of sources and author's note provide context for ­Rosenstock's poetic language. The book works well both as an introduction to Monet and his work and as additional reading for a child who is already familiar with the Impressionist painter.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2021

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Mary GrandPré. The life of Chagall--amid turbulent times in the twentieth century--is captured in Rosenstock's rhythmic, lyrical text with a repeated, thematic refrain: "Through the window, the boy sees... / ...the student sees... / ...the painter sees..." GrandPré's acrylic paintings likewise capture the feel of Chagall's art, both in the images (windows, musical instruments, animals, etc.) and in the geometric style and saturated colors, especially his signature blue. Bib.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2018

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Mary GrandPré. Using Van Gogh's lifelong insomnia and his 1889 painting The Starry Night, Rosenstock and GrandPré have created a combination picture-book biography and bedtime story. Economical, evocative text introduces the essence of this famously troubled, sensitive man, highlighting his fascination with the night sky along with events throughout his life. GrandPré's paintings and drawings reveal her own ease with color and a deft mimicry of his style. Bib.

Reviewer: Lolly Robinson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2017

(3) 4-6 Dragon's Guide series. Illustrated by Mary GrandPré. Dragon Miss Drake and her human "pet" Winnie travel back in time to the 1915 San Francisco World's Fair to meet great-granddad Caleb and solve a jewel heist. A mischievous wish-granting imp complicates matters. The growing dragon-human teamwork, San Francisco–specific history, a nicely integrated fantasy framework, and light comedy combine for a cheery continuation of the series.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Mary GrandPré. Winnie is newly enrolled in a magic academy. But Nanette, niece of Winnie's dragon-caretaker's "self-proclaimed rival," is also attending--and proclaims herself Winnie's rival. Lighthearted episodes of unusual lessons and field trips, illustrated by winsome spot art, are grounded by more serious encounters with Winnie's grandfather's goons in this buoyant second entry (A Dragon's Guide to the Care and Feeding of Humans).

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2016

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Mary GrandPré. Dragon Miss Drake's pet Fluffy dies, then Winnie shows up. Winnie, a human, seems to have the notion that she is the owner and Miss Drake is the pet. An enchanted sketchbook leads to adventure when the magical creatures Winnie draws come to life. Miss Drake's refinement and Winnie's hardscrabble make-do set each other off with a vinegar-and-sweet piquancy shared by GrandPré's whimsical spot art.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2015

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Mary GrandPré. Pioneering abstract artist Vasily Kandinsky experienced "colors as sounds, and sounds as colors," a neurological condition called synesthesia. Concentrating primarily on Kandinsky's childhood, Rosenstock embellishes known events with dialogue. GrandPré does a fine job showing color and sound as abstractions while presenting the artist and his surroundings realistically. An author's note provides more information about the artist and four reproductions. Websites. Bib.

Reviewer: Lolly Robinson | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2014

(3) PS Illustrated by Mary GrandPré. Late at night, impish creatures called the Wee Hours arrive, hour by hour, laughing, skipping, and wreaking playful havoc in a sleeping child's bedroom. Luckily, the older Hours--Five, Six, and Seven--arrive to clean up and put their littler counterparts to bed. The warmhearted, dreamy story is carried by richly colored pastel illustrations showing the sprites jaunting through the quiet nighttime setting.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Mary GrandPré. Ultimon, the last dragon, lives a sad, lonely subterranean existence, dreaming of "a time when dragons / ruled the waves / And breathed hot flames / In jewel-filled caves." Dragon fanatics might be captivated by Burleigh's overwrought rhyming text and the premise that Ultimon's final glorious flight ends with his transformation into the constellation Draco. GrandPré's dramatic paintings imbue this odd fantasy with drama.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Mary GrandPré. With John Iroaganachi. Achebe tells how the dog's greedy behavior sowed discord among the animals of the jungle, forever destroying their blissful existence and resulting in the leopard sprouting claws and the dog allying with Man. The tale, with its elements of fable, allegory, and just-so story, is unfocused. Luminous acrylic illustrations in jungle hues are eye-pleasing.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Mary GrandPré. Orphans Nancy and Plum lead deprived lives at cruel Mrs. Monday's boarding school. The sisters manage to escape her clutches, find wonderful new guardians, and even improve the lot of other orphans. Modern readers may not recognize the era's mores, but they'll love domestic Nancy and tomboy Plum. GrandPré's new pencil and wash illustrations strike just the right note: old-fashioned yet cheeky.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Mary GrandPre. New verses by Jack Prelutsky. Music by Camille Saint-Saëns. Prelutsky's verses, befitting the fourteen short movements of Saint-Saëns's orchestral work, are highly entertaining to read aloud. GrandPré's acrylic and paper-collage illustrations are simultaneously individual works of art and a cohesive collection depicting all the playful animal characters the music evokes. A CD of Prelutsky reading the verses followed by a preview of each movement and the entire score adds to accessibility.

Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Mary GrandPré. Take one part love story, add fantasy elements, and mix with a parable about making time for happiness. Schmuel has been pushed to "hurry up" throughout his life. He becomes a skilled tailor but never has a moment for himself--until the clock goes "Tickety-tock tick!" stopping time for the harried man. Rhyming text and textured illustrations capture the story's magic.

Reviewer: Amy Kellman

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Mary GrandPré. Hap Barlo is apprentice to a poor shoemaker. A mysterious figure commissions a blue-jewel-encrusted shoe, setting off a chain of events leading to Hap's arrest and exile to Xexnax Mountain. There he's reunited with his father and leads a prisoners' coup. GrandPré's shadowy blue illustrations and the book's thoughtful design (including text in blue ink) contribute to this satisfying fairy tale.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Mary GrandPré. The series ends with a bang. From a hair-raising escape at the book's beginning to the monumental battle at its end, this installment is a straight-up quest adventure. Harry flirts with darkness but is saved by his capacity for love and self-sacrifice. After all the adrenaline, an epilogue gently releases readers. This volume is a triumphant farewell to the boy wizard.

Reviewer: Claire E. Gross | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2007

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Mary GrandPré. In this absorbing tale, Lucia bravely searches for the sun, which has disappeared from the winter sky. With the help of her cat, she takes the light back from the dangerous dark-loving trolls who have hidden it away. GrandPré's dramatic pastel compositions, dimly lit at the beginning, provide a gratifying burst of yellow and pink as the sun breaks free.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Mary GrandPre. A man falls in love with a broom, but she's too beautiful to use. Lack of exercise causes her to droop, but even daily sweeping with the man isn't enough. The broom escapes; the man brings her home; in the end, she soars skyward and tends the stars. GrandPré's energetic illustrations are the perfect complement to Willard's fantastical tale.

Reviewer: Joanna Rudge Long | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2005

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Mary GrandPre & Mary GrandPre. Originally published in 1958 as Old Italian Tales, then reillustrated in 1995, this reissue features stories--often witty, sometimes philosophical or sentimental--told in elegant, readable language. Interestingly, justice and just rewards figure in many of the tales. The vigorous artwork, with its simplified, sculptural faces and rich, out-of-the-ordinary colors, adds to the appeal.

Reviewer: Martha Sibert

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Mary GrandPre. Twenty poems run the gamut in subject, length, and style. The three brief stanzas of "My Hat!" honor a hard-working chapeau, while "Mrs. Bhattacharya's Chapati Zap Machine" amusingly malfunctions during a royal dinner, and "Elegant Elephant Delicatessen" features a foldout of the pachyderms pigging out. Throughout, richly colored pastel illustrations capture the whimsy of the verse.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Mary GrandPre. Harry, now fifteen, finds himself in the role of outsider as, in the larger world, adult wizards marshal their forces against the returned Voldemort without him; while at Hogwarts, he is shunned by Dumbledore, banned from Quidditch, and--thanks to slanted newspaper reports--regarded as generally unreliable. Despite a flimsy plot, the book--the best since Azkaban--features a wealth of humor and detail, plus some sharp social satire.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2003