Reviews for Masterpiece

The average rating for Masterpiece based on 2 reviews is 4 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2020-01-24 00:00:00 Theresa Gates "The most important things in a friendship didn't have to be said out loud." Did you think that beetles were unpleasant little creatures whose only talent was to steal scraps of food, scare your mom and - supposedly - survive a nuclear apocalypse? Well, think again, because Marvin the beetle has one very special talent: he is an illustrator. That's right: he can draw miniatures with incredible talent, and this unusual ability will catapult him and his human friend James into an incredible adventure. This book was cute and funny, with a wholesome message about the values of respect, justice, friendship and truth. It reminded me very much of the movie Ratatouille, which I love. The story itself was a little dull, and sometimes it felt like the author was dragging it a little bit by inserting some unrelated events just to make it longer. But overall, what made this book so enjoyable for me was the artwork. I absolutely adore the illustrations of this book, and I think the artist, Kelly Murphy, has a great talent. I would love to see some of her other works! This is exactly the kind of illustration I like in children's books, and it made this one three times more interesting for me. I think I wouldn't even read it if it wasn't for the artwork; but I also think that for a child it would definitely be an interesting story, if only a little boring sometimes, but for the rest packed with action. Also Marvin is adorable! :)

Review # 2 was written on 2009-02-16 00:00:00 Justin Silverstein I read this book out loud in the car while my friend, and fellow author, Kathy Whitehead and I drove across the Texas plains from Abilene to College Station. The rhythm of the prose, the pacing, the language all come together to create the perfect read-aloud. I also want to add that there are some small bits of humor throughout that I think might be lost in silent reading. But Kathy and I found ourselves laughing out loud in dozens of subtle spots. Well done, Ms. Broach! The story is surprising and suspenseful, and readers of all ages will gain a new appreciation for art, art history and beetles, not to mention the most important aspect of the book--friendship. I feel lucky that in fact I got to share it with a friend. Made it all the more meaningful. Yes. This book is a keeper.