Just Behave, Pablo Picasso! by Jonah Winter

Just Behave, Pablo Picasso! Reviews

• 
  Barb Middleton

  Another great read aloud with grade 5 students studying biographies. Jonah Winter's work is fantastic as mentor texts and I went and bought all of them for our library after reading this one. He captures a character and sprinkles facts throughout the story that allow students to delve deeper into the character or topic (such as the garbage barge story). Picasso is larger than life in this story, as he is today. Picasso plowed through the art world like a matador devouring different styles and moving on to new ones until he created Modern art. It was his own style. It was unique. It was risky.
  
  As an artistic youngster, I heard more criticism than support for my creativity and when I took a risk and failed it was very hurtful. I even abandoned my craft at one point. This book struck a cord with me. You really, need thick skin to pursue a craft much less break new ground and create a new art style. It takes a special person. It takes a person who can grow 100 feet. It takes a person who paints for himself or herself versus others. This is a lesson that extends beyond art and is worthy of discussion.
• 
  Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance

  Pablo Picasso finds painting easy from the start. But he doesn't want to simply paint. He wants to make painting new. His critics try to rein him in, but he presses on, and today he is acknowledged to be one of the most daring and innovative artists of all time.
  
  
• 
  Ashley Adams

  A lovely children's picture book about the value of nonconformity. Great art is sometimes created by refusing to be boxed-in.
• 
  Rebecca

  Wow!! Both words and pictures are strong in this lively biography that focuses on Picasso's early life and his twenties, when he first began to paint in a Cubist style and shocked the art world in the process. Self-reinvention and persevering in the face of criticism are themes that transcend the art context. I especially love Kevin Hawkes's paintings, with their unusual points of view (a huge Picasso stepping over the rooftops of Paris; a young Picasso literally bursting through a pastoral landscape canvas with a BLAM!; Picasso's red cape waving from one page to the next; the INTENSE eyes on the back cover).
  
  '"But Pablo," says a fellow artist, "your new painting doesn't look real."
  "Everything you can imagine," says Pablo, "is real."
  And sure enough, the crazy shapes and images you see when you close your eyes are very much a part of you, just as real as what you see with open eyes.'
• 
  Barbara

  Although many parents and teachers encourage their charges to behave, sometimes behaving--or conforming to exactly what is expected--is actually quite limiting to creativity. This partial picture book biography with just a hint of fantasy in lines such as "Picasso expanded himself to a height of one hundred feet..." (p. 36)that might be confusing to young readers also makes clear the enormity of his presence and courage--some might say arrogance--in daring to defy conventions. The author chooses to provide little information on Pablo Picasso's early years, allowing the story to burst out at readers in almost the same fashion that the artist gained attention for his paintings. The storyline and the open acrylics and sepia pencil illustrations highlight Picasso's impulsive and itinerant nature as his painting style evolved, influenced by his mood and his surroundings. Clearly, it took courage for this man who would be considered the first modern artist to stand his ground and follow his own inspiration amid all that criticism. Some of the illustrations are particularly effective, showing Pablo surrounded by naysayers whose words come at him in a cartoon ballon shape. Back matter includes additional information about Cubism and Picasso's friend, Georges Braque, who is also considered the co-creator of Cubism. Add this title to a text set of artists and one centered around unique individuals. It left me wanting to know more about the artist's childhood. The cover is certainly noteworthy with Picasso as a giant among men walking across the cityscape of Paris.
• 
  Dolly

  We have been reading a lot of books about artists this month and our girls love to learn more about the lives and struggles of famous artists. I appreciated learning more about the inspiration and spark of creativity that drove
  Pablo Picasso to shun the popular style of artwork in his time and follow his dreams and his passion.
  
  The metaphors in the story depict him as a larger-than-life persona and someone who is unafraid to forge new territory. We learned more about Mr. Picasso, especially from the author's note at the end of the book. We really enjoyed reading this story together.
• 
  Cheryl

  Brilliant concept, to focus on the vibe & power of the art, and to save the drier details and autobiography for the end notes. I feel more appreciative of Picasso's talents and vision now, for having read this.
  
  "The world today doesn't make sense. Why should I make pictures that do?"
• 
  Margo Tanenbaum

  Those looking for an attractive book on Picasso for young readers should check out Jonah Winter's picture book, Just Behave, Pablo Picasso!, released in February of 2012 and illustrated by the versatile Kevin Hawkes (I'm a big fan of The Wicked Big Toddlah, Library Lion, and A Pig Parade is a Terrible Idea, among others). This book focuses on the early years of Picasso's career. In a highly creative and appropriate opening, the first 2-page illustration shows a bucolic country landscape, a peaceful scene with hills, cows, blue sky and puffy white clouds. But turn the page, and "BLAM!", the young Pablo is depicted literally bursting through the canvas, almost like a superhero artist, paintbrush in hand. Winter and Hawkes together capture the magnetic force of Picasso's creative personality, with a lively text suited for students in elementary school. Many will identify with Picasso's rebellious personality, as he skips from one style to another and one country to another in what seems a blink of an eye (or in this case the turn of a page). Actual paintings of Picasso, listed at the end of the book, are worked into Hawkes' illustrations, while Picasso's contemporaries proclaim in cartoon-style text bubbles their opinions of Picasso's work.
  
  We see Picasso's style evolving to become ever more abstract, and share in the shock of the crowd at the exhibition of Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, now considered one of his greatest works. But despite his early success, Picasso refuses to stay still artistically, and disdains his neighbors, who shout collectively at him during one very funny two-page spread, "Just behave, Pablo Picasso!", as they point their fingers at him. Picasso, of course ignores them, becoming a "force of nature...the most original artist of his time."
  
  An afterword provides more background on Picasso's life.
  
  This book would fit very well into a discussion of creativity and different ways of seeing the world, as well as promoting discussion of perseverance in the face of criticism.
  
• 
  Kris

  3 starred reviews:
  PW,
  SLJ, Booklist
  
  See also review at
  Waking Brain Cells.
  
  Bold, vibrant paintings, tell the story of Pablo Picasso's development as an artist. I'm not very knowledgeable about Picasso, but I did get a feel that he made quite an impact on the art world of his day. Both the text and the art portray this quite well. Seems to be a good introduction to the artist for kids, or a read aloud for an art class. Not your typical picture book biography, this one is unique. Includes a brief write up at the end that explains in more detail the events included in the book; also includes references to Picasso's paintings.
  
  "Winter (Barack) resists the “good for you” air of some picture-book biographies in this dynamic reimagining of Picasso’s rocket trip to the top of the 20th-century art world, while Hawkes (The Wicked Big Toddlah Goes to New York) is energized rather than intimidated by the challenge of painting the great painter. "--PW Review.
• 
  Jim Erekson

  The theatrical voice of the narrator almost made me feel like I was in a movie trailer, or listening to a carnival barker (neither of which was a bad thing). In fact, there were moments where I thought this could easily break into a musical. It had a lot of the pacing and exaggerated feel of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
  
  I have to say I wish the storytelling style and illustration had less of the flash and fame about it, and more of the abstraction that would be more consistent with the paintings that are so difficult for many people to accept. Instead of telling us that many people both love and hate Picasso's work, it would be great if they had 'shown' us how and why.
  
  I was really impressed with Melissa Sweet's work on the River of Words book about Wm Carlos Williams, and how she worked for this consistency with the poet's work. For this book, it makes me wonder whether either the author or the illustrator really understands Picasso's work, or if they just know how to represent it descriptively.
  
  I passed it to Pearl, because she's been enchanted with Picasso because of what they're studying in school. She read through the whole thing in the car, which she doesn't always do when I recommend or bring a picture book.
• 
  Mike

  I loved this book. It was such a great book about doing what you love and being yourself and exploring new ideas; being defiant when others tell you know. My five year old daughter loved this book, but I also shared it with a group of 6th and 7th grade boys and they were enthralled by the story as well. Mixed in with the story are several of his paintings to give readers a taste of the variety of styles that Picasso used during his career. The story mixes in several fantastical elements such as Picasso pictured as a 100 foot tall giant towering over Paris---but this allows for interesting discussions of fact versus fiction and deciding why the artist decided to draw things certains ways and why the author made exaggerations in his telling of the story.
• 
  Samantha

  A picture book biography about one of the most famous artists the world has ever known. A few facts about Picasso’s life are included, but the overall emphasis is on the huge impact Picasso had on art. Acrylic illustrations help to support the notion that Picasso was breaking onto the scene, especially when he is depicted as bursting through a canvas ready to create something original.
  
  The text includes the various critical responses to Picasso’s work and his strong opinions. This book does a great job of inciting interest in art, artists, and artistic movements on an appropriate level. Following the story is a statement about the artist. Must read/must see!
  
• 
  Jamil

  I don't know if I ever thought I'd see an illustration of
  Les Demoiselles d'Avignon in a book for kids...
  
• 
  Rachel

  A solid biography for a younger audience, however the time line is unclear and some things are to magical to really make sense in the context.
• 
  Anna

  Just Behave, Pablo Picasso! is yet another brilliant addition to Jonah Winter's biography series. I love them, because they take a different stance on biographies, showing the life of the artist in question instead of telling it. It makes a great vehicle for discussing what accuracy consists of, and how biographic narratives can be reliable in a number of ways. You would not use this book to determine the facts of Pablo Picasso's life, but you can use it to get a sense of it, of his spirit, his relationship with his art and the world around him, and it is very engaging for students, so that they can actually grasp these things which might in another book be quite difficult for younger students to discern. Does Pablo Picasso really expand to a height of one hundred feet, as he does in the book in the spirit of his defiance? Of course not, and kids will know that, and think about why, if it is not factually true, he is depicted as doing so. He feels that way. Third graders can, after reading this book, grasp the essential themes and questions that motivated Picasso's life and art. They could then use another book to sort out the details that give substance to that life. Kids aren't going to want to research anyone they aren't already interested in, however, and Winter's books provide a really great way to spark students' interest in Pablo Picasso, Jelly Roll Morton, even Gertrude Stein! If that isn't a biographic coup, I don't really know what is. This is the quality in books you can't quantify with bibliographic references. Just pick it up and give it a try. You'll have a great time.
• 
  Jaclyn Sibley

  Award: No awards received
  Grade: 1st and 2nd
  Summary: Picasso is one of the most famous artists, but his work wasn't always liked. He painted what he wanted to paint, but some viewers thought he was not doing good. Picasso ignored their negative comments and created unique works of art, eventually getting people interested.
  Review: I think this is a really good book to show students it is okay to be different even if people do not like what you are doing. The illustrations are beautiful and fitting with the text. This book is good for all students, but especially those who struggle with being worried people will not like certain things they create/do.
  Class uses: 1. Each student will create there own unique painting or paint what they want. Then, they will share with the class and receive two or three positive comments from fellow students. 2. The student will follow Picasso's style and create their own abstract faces.
• 
  Viviane Elbee

  This book is based on Picasso's life when he was young. It follows him through his talented artistic debut in traditional art styles, and shows his decision to move towards abstract art despite intense criticism.
  
  The book isn't pure non-fiction as exaggeration is used to show how Picasso faced heavy criticism from many sides and how he nevertheless persevered with his new art.
  
  This is an enjoyable read for elementary school children and can be used to discuss Picasso's life & work. It can also be used to discuss perseverance and criticism.
• 
  KaitandMaddie

  This is really cool. I liked how they explained the evolution of Picasso’s art and showed how he followed his creativity and didn’t listen to people who just wanted him to make art that they found easy.
• 
  Emma

  Loved the illustrations.
• 
  Emily Minott

  I liked how this delivery was of a biography rather than just spewing facts. I never knew this is how Pablo Picasso came to be.
• 
  Sandy

  An interesting picture book about Pablo Picasso as non-conformist. Could have used more actual facts about the artist and his art. but could serve as an introduction to Picasso.
• 
  Farleyi

  Great historical fiction that depicts the reasons to Picasso's painting and the dislike he faced as a new type of artist
• 
  Y.Poston

  a great story of courage in the face of peer pressure