Books with author Joan Waites

A young red fox living in Monet's garden in Giverny, France, admires the collage of colors in the landscape that surrounds him. More than anything, he wants to make the colors last as the seasons pass and the winter turns cold and bleak. Try as he might, his creations are blown away, flooded, and even eaten by a deer, until the sight of Monet at his easel and an unexpected encounter with a bumble bee show the gentle fox how he can make the colors last all year long. This brightly illustrated tale is a delightful introduction to Claude Monet.

Not a creature was stirring, except a French artist mouse! Follow Henri, the French artist mouse living in a French country house, as he tries to paint the perfect Christmas gift for a very special friend. When Henri begins to doubt his own ability, a certain Christmas visitor, jolly and round with black boots and a red suit, steps in to reassure Henri about what’s truly important. With a bit of guidance―and just in time for Christmas morning―Henri discovers the greatest gift he could give: friendship! A story of lost confidence and renewed determination, this picture book introduces young artists to real art terms, materials, and techniques, as well as to art’s modern masters, cast in the roles of Henri’s colleagues and friends.