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Reviewed by Jennifer Senick for Readers' Favorite
Preethi Saravanakumar’s The Work of Art on the Wall is about a boy named Gary, whose parents give him anything he wants. But he’s sad that he doesn’t have any siblings to play with like all his friends. He spends his days wishing he were someone else. One night, he stares at a piece of artwork on the wall. He becomes fascinated by the children he sees there. He wonders what their lives are really like. This curiosity leads him somewhere he never expected to go. Then he meets Ian, who lives in the house behind him. After spending some time with him, Gary realizes something. What does Gary learn from this unexpected experience?
The Work of Art on the Wall by Preethi Saravanakumar is a gentle look at how easy it is to focus on what we're missing instead of what we already have. Lots of kids compare themselves to classmates and friends, so Gary's feelings were realistic and easy to understand. In a classroom, a teacher could start discussions on appreciation, friendship, and happiness. Follow-up activities could be having students create gratitude journals or write about something they appreciate. The watercolor-style illustrations by Julia Duclos give the book a soft, dreamlike quality that will make children stay engaged. Fred Rogers once said, "Often when you think you're at the end of something, you're at the beginning of something else." That quote reminded me of Gary's journey. He starts out being frustrated with his life, but an unexpected experience gives him a lot to think about. Anyone interested in stories about self-discovery, gratitude, and seeing life from a new perspective will want to pick this one up. It's also a thoughtful choice for classrooms, family reading time, and school libraries.
