The Artist by Ed Vere - 10/10

A thoughtful presentation of the vocation of an artist, skillfully crafted to appeal to young

readers.

Vere reflects on the mission of an artist to see the world and share their vision of beauty with others, and the proclivity of artists to be critical of their own work. The book follows a young dinosaur who goes out into the world to share her art, but begins to doubt herself when she her work does not live up to her standards of perfection. The book ends with those who have seen and been moved by her art sharing how much her work has meant to them and encouraging her to take up her paintbrush again and follow her heart.

*As someone who has reflected on the meaning of art and its place in our culture, including reading the works of several philosophers and theologians on the subject, I was particularly impressed with Vere's ability to take a complex theoretical topic and present it in a way that would make sense to children.