Coppernickel Goes Mondrian
Coppernickel Goes Mondrian
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Written, illustrated, and translated from Dutch by Wouter van Reek
Mr. Quickstep, accompanied by his dog Foxtrot, is looking for the future. On the way, they meet up with Coppernickel and his dog Tungsten. Coppernickel says there's no need to look for the future, as it will arrive anyway. Mr. Quickstep disagrees, for the future he's after hasn't even been thought of yet. Left behind, Coppernickel worries that he will miss out if he doesn't follow Mr. Quickstep, so he sets off to follow him. Naturally, Coppernickel and Mr. Quickstep bump into each other again, which allows Mr. Quickstep to fling open the door to the future by showing Coppernickel his last, most modern work.
What stands out here is how Mr. Quickstep's attempt to find an abstract essence in the very stuff of reality is woven right into the illustrations of this graphically distinguished work, giving children the sense that the future is theirs to create as they see it. Dreams can become reality, and in the process we too will be transformed.
ISBN: 978-1-59270-119-3
8.13" (W) x 8.13" (H) • 40 pages • HCJ
AWARDS AND REVIEWS
"Mondrian's geometric canvasses are part of our visual landscape now, but Dutch artist van Reek attempts to imagine the process by which they came to be. He doesn't tell the story of the artist's move toward modernism with words; instead, he portrays the transformation of Mondrian's sight and perceptions entirely through the artwork. [...] Van Reek's gentle progression toward abstraction is a striking visual record of a new way of seeing." —Publishers Weekly
"Gorgeous tiny rectangles tile the subway as Mondrian’s famous primary colors and grid patterns begin to dominate. Composition varies dynamically; the scene moves from city blocks to Mondrian’s spare 1940s apartment. Music emerges from a turntable in lively primary-colored rectangles, becoming Mondrian’s famous painting Victory Boogie Woogie, and even the four characters end up geometrically stylized." —Kirkus Reviews
"...as a visual experience it works brilliantly. It is a quest, an immigration story, and an exploration of artistic vision." —The Horn Book
"Some sophisticated themes and concepts, conveyed in text and pictures simple enough to draw fledgling readers." —Booklist
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