ALA Booklist (Mon Jun 05 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

What better way to get kids looking (intensely) at famous works of art than to make it a game? Led by a detective dog named Carl, readers are challenged to spot the difference between a beautifully reproduced masterpiece and its forgery on the facing page, and challenge is definitely the operative word: some variations are obvious, like an extra monkey in one of Rousseau's jungle scenes, while others are subtle, like changes in the brushstrokes of Van Gogh's Starry Night or dabs of light in a Monet. In a painting from India, the details are so small and condensed that a magnifying glass might come in handy. Luckily for impatient readers, there's an answer key with the solutions, along with information about each painting (and the museums where they can be seen in person). But patient, determined art lovers will pore over the pictures to find all the errors and, in the process, get to know some famous works of art, from a wide variety of periods and styles, up close.

Horn Book (Mon Jun 05 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Each spread compares a great work of art with a doctored version in which kids are prompted to pick out tiny differences. The cartoon dog leading the exercise--hovering in margins and contributing silly asides--clashes with the paintings slightly, but children are sure to engage with and appreciate the art. The picture puzzles' solutions and accessible information on each work are appended.

School Library Journal (Mon Jun 05 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Gr 1-4 Canine detective Charlie the Sleuth solves art crimes, but needs help cracking his most difficult case yetthat of a rampant forger. After viewing two versions of the same painting, readers are encouraged to spot the fakes, easily recognizable because they are riddled with upwards of 15 errors. The scope of the works included is quite vast, ranging from medieval to 20th-century art, and represents a variety of techniques and subjects. Despite its heavily Western European feel (the majority of the works are from French, German, and Dutch painters), this title attempts to take on more of a global perspective by incorporating pieces from India, Italy, and the U.S. Back matter provides youngsters with the solutions to each puzzle while enlightening them with facts about the paintings and artists. This is an interesting take on the subject, albeit one that's been done before, and a fair addition to collections needing to update art-appreciation titles. The lack of in-depth information renders it a secondary purchase, but it might be a welcome change for readers who enjoy seek-and-find books. Rebecca Gueorguiev, New York Public Library