Dr. Seuss and the Terrible No Good, Horrible, Very Bad Book should be the name of this. ( )

This book is an incredibly fun way to learn about art through Dr. Seussical illustrations. It's based on an unfinished manuscript of Theodore Geisel. An Australian illustrator, Andrew Joyner, finished it off, copying Seuss's style, and adding many characters of color.
The art is all HORSE ART, and features cartoons of museum goers looking only at paintings of horses by various masters. It's a fun trip through art history and horse history. I'm not a huge horse fan, but I love Dr. Seuss [even though he's not perfect and a product of his era]. It's on my coffee table. ( )

Not my fave. ( )

Based on “found” sketches and a manuscript, this book takes the young reader [with a horse guide] through an art museum to understand the different ways artists interpret a subject [in this case, a horse]. Reproductions of more than thirty artworks help to show the diversity of art. Following the narrative, there are notes on the various artists who created the works of art featured in the pages of this colorful book. There’s also an interesting piece from the publisher on how the book came to be.

Several beloved Dr. Seuss characters appear in the pages of this book . . . look for the Cat in the Hat, the fish, King Derwin, and Horton. And, although seeing them included in the book’s illustrations will certainly please readers, they’re just observers here and readers will have to continue to treasure all their delightful, fondly-remembered antics in their hearts.

Readers who are looking for Doctor Seuss’s trademark silliness should prepare themselves for a huge disappointment . . . this longer-than-average Seussian book talks of horses and art and artists, and it’s all very informative, and even quite interesting. But there are no Cat-in-the-Hat antics, no hopping on Pop, no Horton searching for a Who or a Lorax speaking for the trees.

Nevertheless, there’s much to appreciate here. Perhaps, most importantly, it’s the sharing with young readers of the beauty and importance of art.

Highly recommended. ( )