My Fingerpaint Masterpiece
by Sherrill S. Cannon
Illustrated by Kalpart
28 pages – ages 4 – 8 years
Paperback: 28 pages
Published by Strategic Book Publishing on January 31, 2014
Summary –
A student makes a fingerpaint picture in school but doesn’t get it finished. The student takes it home but a gust of wind takes it away – Oh no! There is no name on the picture. It is lost forever! Imagine the student’s surprise when he/she sees it in an art gallery and it won first place in an art contest! The judges think this painting was made by a professional artist because it is a masterpiece! When the student tells everyone that he/she painted the picture, no one believes it. The student is confused that the judges won’t admit that it’s just a kid drawing (and not really that great – according to the student).
What I Thought – I love Ms. Cannon’s rhyme in the book. I can see why she’s won a bunch of awards for her other books. I also like that she purposely didn’t tell the reader who the student is, even though the student is the one narrating the story. It can be a boy or a girl. In fact Ms. Cannon has an author’s note section in the back of the book asking the reader who they think the student is. The illustrations in the book are nice and I really like the kid-art “fingerpaint masterpiece.” 🙂 The ending is open. It leaves the student asking “Why can’t they admit that they really don’t like my print one little bit?” I usually don’t like it when a book doesn’t tie everything up, but with this story, I like that you can take the story to mean a couple of things. I think that it can mean “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” or that kids can create wonderful artwork or don’t follow what someone else is saying, just because they are an expert. I am not sure if this is what Ms. Cannon is going for, but that’s how I see it. 🙂
Five out of five bookworms for My Fingerpaint Masterpiece! 
NEWS FLASH! Ms. Cannon’s “My Fingerpaint Masterpiece” was just chosen one of the NABE Pinnacle Book Achievement Award Winners for Spring 2014! Congratulations! 🙂
Check out Sue Morris’ review of this book by clicking HERE!
Please check out Ms. Cannon’s other award-winning books at her website by clicking HERE. Including “Manner-Man.”
Taken from a press-release –
“Manner-Man” is the story of a superhero that helps children learn how to control bullies and see the true superhero within themselves. The five-star rated book has won six awards: the 2014 Reviewers Choice Winner, the Los Angeles Book Festival Winner, a London Book Fair H.M. , a Rebecca’s Reads H.M., a 2013 Readers’ Favorite Silver Medal and NABE Pinnacle Achievement Award. In addition to fighting against bullying, Ms. Cannon supports CureJM, a foundation funding research to find a cure for Juvenile Myositis (JM). She donates 50% of the cost of all of her book sales through the Fundraiser at http://sbpra.com/curejm to the cause. Her award-winning book, “My Fingerpaint Masterpiece” includes in the illustrations Cassandra, a young teenager who suffers from JM, as well as Juvenile Arthritis, deafness is one ear, and who has also been bullied. However, Cassandra has not been deterred; she entered the National American Miss Texas Pageant and has been named a finalist. Strategic Book Publishing & Rights Agency (SBPRA) and author Sherrill S. Cannon are combining their efforts along with ImBullyFree.org to organize a similar fundraiser to help raise funds to put an end to this cruelty seen in today’s in children’s lives. I’m Bully Free has committed to sponsoring Cassandra in the pageant with some of the contributions from this new fundraiser, http://sbpra.com/imbullyfree. I’m Bully Free is an organization aimed at helping schools commit to a safe, secure, bully-free environment. Their services include coordinating events and activities that encompass the anti-bullying message and advocate for the funding for research and prevention of bullying.”
Follow Ms. Cannon on Twitter HERE.
Check out a review by Sue Morris of Kid Lit Reviews HERE!
Ooh, I like this concept — a sly dig at the self-importance of contemporary art.
I think the judges just all agreed with each other. 😉
Sounds like a book to be read in art class too. I know I am not alone in seeing brilliance in kid’s art. Great art is not all about skill.
That’s a great idea Mrs. Rozo! Art teachers could use it! 🙂
How wonderful, Erik. I’m always joking that kids could have their art up in a modern collection, they are so similar. And the Mannersman sounds great too.
I wonder if there is an art gallery just for kids – I have to google that!
According to Peter H. Reynold’s THE DOT there is 😀 😀 😀
http://shop.fablevisionlearning.com/the-dot/fa/shop.detail/productID/2569/#.U3Eth_ldU1I
And if there isn’t one do let me know and I’ll start one :0)
I didn’t find an actual place that has all kid’s art but there is a virtual one – http://www.naturalchild.org/gallery/ – the Global Children’s Art Gallery. 🙂 There should be an actual place for kids art. My mom said that she thinks bigger art museums sometimes show kid art, but she can’t think of one with just kid art…
Thanks, Erik!
Reblogged this on Sherrill S. Cannon's Blog and commented:
Awesome review from an awesome reviewer!!
Nice review Erik. I like your possible conclusions especially that kids art can be just as good–or better–than adults and the beauty, the judging, is in the eye of the beholder.
Josie’s art is a great example. Her art is fantastic. I would put it on my wall and treasure it, yet she is not an adult artist. Josie’s octopus is amazing. What does age have to do with this anyway? I bet I am not the only one who thinks Josie is that good. Very good. Erik, thanks for the shout-out and the link. 🙂
Thank you for the nice things you say about Josie’s art! 🙂 She appreciates when you comment on it! 🙂
Erik, when I first saw this book on Sue’s site, I loved it so much, it went on my B&N Wish List 🙂 Now, through you, I got to see the trailer which adds icing on that “fingerpaint cake” :). The books look wonderful, and I can’t say how much I LOVE seeing a title like MANNER MAN! It’s so important and it’s the most obvious how important when you come across those who lack manners, for sure. Nice review, Zor 😉
It is a good thing Erik is here so you had another shot at this wonderful kid’s book. How did you miss the trailer on KLR? 🙁 Oh, my goodness. 😀
LOL, Sue! Maybe I DID see it and forgot! LOL
I have put Manner-Man on my TBR list! 🙂 (Not that Zor needs any manners…)