Review of "Mary Cassatt: Family Pictures (Smart About Art)" by Jane O'Connor, Jennifer Kalis

Mary Cassattt was a painter. Her works are called "impressionistic." She never married, but was a good friend of Edgar Degas who painted ballet dancers in the same period. Mary painted pictures of children in soft colors. This little book is presented as a school paper, and inside is a picture of Mary wearing a large hat. She was said to have loved hats. Her paintings were not always of children. She included many paintings of her family in her works as well.

The little book tells the story of both the painter and the child who is writing the report. The illustrations are excellent and introduce the young reader to a great artist and a few of her artistic friends.

It's a clever little children's book and a comfortable way to introduce fine art into the youngsters's lives.