Books in Start-Off Stories series

French artist Jean Francois Millet was deeply moved by the ordinary life of the people in Barbizon, who were poor yet always maintaining a heart of gratitude. This story aims to show what he saw and painted by telling a story of young girl pleading with her busy parents to go on a picnic.

Georges-Pierre Seurat was a French painter known for creating artwork with unusual techniques. The story guides readers through Seurat's thoughts as he pursues a new style of art.

A French painter Edgar Degas enjoyed capturing the small moments in life by observing people with an attentive eye. This story weaves Degas' paintings into the story, while also illustrating Degas' character.

When Mom's Away captures a young girl's delight in dressing up as some of the people in portraits by Auguste Renoir. Her joy and her observations highlight the brilliance and verve of the artist's style, as well as the pleasure we derive from looking at beautiful paintings.

An easy-to-read retelling of the vain king's experience with two deceitful tailors.

Vincent Van Gogh was a troubled soul. Yet he produced some of the most vibrant and uplifting paintings in history. The Friendly Postman is the story of the postman who brought Vincent letters from his brother, Theo, when the artist lived in Arles. These letters played a vital role in encouraging Vincent to keep on painting through difficult times.

This story illustrates how Klimt, an Austrian painter, expressed the inspiration from nature in his own style of the gold colored decoration in his paintings.

Using sketches and paintings by Monet, Seen from a Distance explains how the artist developed his methods for rendering the effects of light, and how he created works that were in many ways more realistic than anything painted before.

When Mom's Away captures a young girl's delight in dressing up as some of the people in portraits by Auguste Renoir. Her joy and her observations highlight the brilliance and verve of the artist's style, as well as the pleasure we derive from looking at beautiful paintings.

Using sketches and paintings by Monet, Seen from a Distance explains how the artist developed his methods for rendering the effects of light, and how he created works that were in many ways more realistic than anything painted before.

A French painter Edgar Degas enjoyed capturing the small moments in life by observing people with an attentive eye. This story weaves Degas' paintings into the story, while also illustrating Degas' character.

A mother, father, and baby bear go for a walk in the woods while their porridge cools, and return home to find they have an unexpected visitor, Goldilocks