The Great Big Book of Museums: A visit to 13 spectacular museums from around the world

Gr 3-6–This is a fun introduction to some of the world’s most famous museums. Museums featured range from the well-known Guggenheim and Smithsonian Institute to lesser known Russian, Dutch, and Chinese museums. Each museum has a pair of two-page spreads. The first sets the stage for the museum with a few paragraphs and a large, whimsically drawn rendering of the museum exterior and some interior features. The second 2-page spread highlights things that make each museum unique (e.g., there is only one original key to the Sistine Chapel!) and points out some interesting, not-to-be-missed exhibits within. Watercolor and mixed media illustrations feature heavily in this book. The museums are drawn surrounded by people and bustling cities. Famous works such as the Mona Lisa are recreated when exhibits are highlighted, but the style of drawing is decidedly cartoonish. There are many small details to notice throughout the illustrations, and readers will enjoy diving into them to make new discoveries with each reading. The text is set in short snippets and will keep the attention of young readers. This does, however, limit the scale of the information provided.