This book has hardly any story. Nice pictures, but so boring that my preschooler, who lives for books, was ready to give it away. (That's what we're going to do.) I much prefer James Mayhew's "Katie" books, which also teach about art, but in a fun, funny way.

A Bird or two opens your heart, your eyes to the extraordinary colorful work of Matisse. With great insight to his work Bijou Le Tord lets us enter the world of grace of this wonderful, beloved French artist. A must in all libraries, homes, wherever art is loved!

"I am strong because I do what is in my mind."

It will be a child's recitation of these words that will make parents proud of the purchase of Bijou Le Tord's book, A Bird or Two. A Bird or Two, which is a biography of Heni Matisse, does not simply factualize the life of the famous painter, instead it fleshes him out and gives him spirit, life, and strength. As an introduction to the world of art, Le Tord's book is brilliant.

The book itself is a piece of art, thus it reflects the work of it's hero, Matisse, in a way that facts cannot. In Le Tord's book there lies a well-defined tribute to the famous artist which even the youngest child can grasp and cherish.

I was quite disappointed with this book... don't get me wrong, I expected the story to follow along with the Old Testament story, but this was just a vague story, it didn't have much substance at all, and it just abruptly ended... I felt there should have been more of an ending... and if you are like me, and want Biblical retellings to be as biblically accurate as possible, you would have wanted it to be known that the ark was not built from oak, pine, and fruit trees... IT WAS GOPHER WOOD... I may be extreme, but it is the Bible being commented on you know... the only thing I will say for this book is that the artwork is cute... simple, but cute...

Noah's Trees is Bijou Le Tord's imaginative answer to thequestion curious children will ask when hearing the Biblical story ofFlood. "Where did the wood come from that Noah used to build the ark?" Her story unfolds in words and pictures. But it is the pictures that make the 272 words of text stick in the memory. These images are full-page vibrant warm watercolors (reminiscent of Emil Nolde's expressionist paintings) that glow from the pages.

Ms. Le Tord introduces children--ages 4-6, says the dust jacket--to the life and faith of a humble and loving man. Here is a chance to discover not only the wonder of faith in God, but also Noah's tenderness for his family and love for the world he lives in. So where DID he find the timber? Thought you'd never ask. Let Bijou Le Tord satisfy your curiosity.

Whenever writers retell the story of Noah's Ark, I can't help thinking, "Not another one." So often people focus on the immensity of the ark versus the grandeur of God and the obediance and faith behind the construction.

This is why I loved Le Tord's Noah's Trees. The title itself reveals that it is more a story about Noah, obediance, and God's creation than a story about the famous Ark. In the captivating watercolors, children can see the man whose faith lead him to follow God and the God given tools he used to do so. The story is a beautiful insight into the world of Noah and for anybody looking for a new way to share obediance to God, this book is the answer.