  | Full Text Reviews: Booklist - 03/15/2009 *Starred Review* Not many middle-grade heroines seem like they’re going to bounce off the pages, but they’re not Bettina Valentino. Veteran author and illustrator Daly lets this art-loving firecracker introduce herself: “Hellooo! Yes, you! You, holding this book. Are you reading me? Cool!” In her unique voice, Bettina presents Bayside Prep’s fabulous new art teacher, nicknamed Mr. Popart (he smiles, she falls in love). But beyond her crush, Bettina, a budding artist, is thrilled at the way her teacher gets kids to think about art and to look at it, and not just any old art, but the unconventional works of masters like Picasso and Klee. Unfortunately, unconventionality is overrated, according to the overbearing Rattles, parents of the nasty Maxine, who feel that the school should get rid of Mr. Popart. Bettina has other ideas. If the story’s execution wasn’t delightful enough (it is), Daly provides wonderful ink-and-wash drawings, sometimes several to a page, that up the amusing ante. Not only are the cast’s eccentricities on full display, but Daly sometimes draws in the styles of famous artists, so readers get a real feel for their art. Like Bettina, this book has a certain je ne sais quoi. - Copyright 2009 Booklist. School Library Journal - 05/01/2009 Gr 4–6— Bettina Valentino is in love with "Mr. Popart," the eccentric new teacher at Bayside Prep who instills a love of art in Bettina and her fifth-grade classmates. He shows how art can be used to challenge, shock, and surprise by discussing graffiti, Dadaism, Cubism, and Pop Art. He encourages them to see everyday life in new and different ways. Bettina and her friends start a Picasso Club, and they meet to work on their entries for a competition. Mr. Popart hosts an informal Dada exhibition for parents, leading to some humorous moments. One boy's doggie-doo creation becomes attached to Maxine's mom's shoe, and she also drinks from another artist's display featuring genuine spit. When Mr. Popart shows a book of Matisse nudes to Maxine and she makes a fuss, her influential parents cause trouble for him with the school. It is up to Bettina and her friends to figure out how to turn this mess into a masterpiece. Whimsical black-and-white spot art graces most of the pages. With tidbits about famous artists, this is a quick-paced, entertaining book about the power of art.—Sarah Polace, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Parma, OH - Copyright 2009 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Loading...
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