(4) K-3 Translated by Agathe Joly. Illustrated by Vanessa Hié. In this origin story for Matisse's collage The Parakeet and the Mermaid, a mermaid stranded in a tree is saved by a parakeet cum human-bird-hybrid prince. The storytelling is rather sentimental, but Hié's cutouts (reworked with pencil and painting), while less abstract, capably echo Matisse's vibrant palette. A reproduction of the source painting and contextual and biographical information are appended.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Vanessa Hié. The Kingdom of Mirador lives in fear of a beast, encouraged by King Minus's propaganda: "one day it will come and devour your children." Three mysterious musicians arrive and help the villagers trade trepidation for fun. The storytelling is too abstract, though Hié's Picasso-inspired illustrations are appropriately so. A reproduction of the titular source painting and contextual and biographical information are appended.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Vanessa Hié. In an island village where people are "always cheerful," young Tevai encounters magical sisters who give him a special banana leaf that transforms the villagers into people who are true to their emotions. The story is a little too cryptic for kids, but the illustrations faithfully honor Gauguin's style, and a reproduction of the story's source painting and biographical information on Gauguin are enlightening.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) K-3 Translated by J. Alison James. Illustrated by Vanessa Hie. The Hempels want to bake a cake but can't find the whisk in their messy kitchen. Cleaning the kitchen they find a pillow, which belongs in the bedroom; cleaning the bedroom, they find a toothbrush; eventually they find the whisk, bake a cake, and--make a mess. Humorous illustrations and the rhythm of the text make this an entertaining read-aloud.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley