Léon art & stories

Tim and No-Name

It is a very well thought out story that fits perfectly with the paintings. It tells a message of tolerance to children: do not judge people by their physical appearance, their differences, their imperfection, do not listen to or believe rumors. This album is perfect to show what can happen when someone is banned because he is a foreigner. A topical theme, unfortunately ... As usual in this series, you can find additional information about the artist, historic background and inspiration of the author at the end of the book and all the works that illustrate the story are reproducted.

 A heart stroke book you must read and re-read !

The Teeny-Weenies and the Fairy-cab-car

When art and literature mix together or when literature is inspired by art, you got wonderful books.

Kandinsky’s fans, you’ll have your eyes dazzled!

In these two books from the series Mini Leon, we meet again with the little chameleon, the publishing house mascot. Each double page provides details of a master’s painting and a compelling illustration with a poetic and funny comment. At the end of the book, there are brief and clear notes. Here is the cutest little books to cultivate, to marvel and to have fun: an interesting opening on painting, echoing literature, in French and in English.

Two comic strip manner and colourful books, to develop sensitivity to art and observation in very young readers.

Small books but incredibly strong!

Under the Great wave

Some books are nuggets, as this one proves to be.

The text is poetic, rigorous, each word is carefully chosen and offers the reader a journey to the heart of Japan. This is a form of writing called Haiku: small poems composed of 17 syllables.

Parents reading this rich book can go further: what is a tsunami? A print? At the end of the book, eight questions are asked and simple answers are made.

This book is stunning, upsetting. It makes people curious and makes you want to know everything about Japan, and Mount Fuji legends.

Azulie into the Night

The text of Nancy Guilbert explores the themes of fear, love and mythology in a beautiful tale, poetic and initiatory. Azulie is drawn into the world of night and shadows. It attracts her and terrifies her at the same time. Then a fascinating world appears full of dangers including the struggle between Good and Evil. The Master of nightmares, frightening silhouettes, fears are all coming up to mind. But Azulie is guided by a beautiful blue bird... bewitched. Only courage will help her overcome her fears, with the help of a mysterious Mirror of Truth and her violin.

Nancy Guilbert’s delicate text fits perfectly in Chagall's art world.

At the end of the album, the eight referenced masterpieces can be seen, allowing children and adults to find again every details. Next in short boxes the author makes the point on a technical, biographical and aesthetic aspect: Who is Marc Chagall? The important role of music in the history of Azulie. Why does Chagall so often use the blue color? The link between narrative fiction and art, between text and image helps doing multiple and rich meaning interpretations.

An approach of art full of originality and beauty, another way to tell the art.

Léon art & stories publishing house produces brilliant books about painters. In each book you can find a fictional text, imagined from the masterpieces of the artist, a zoom in on details of art works and a two-page documentary. The books are also beautifuly illustrated by watercolors of Hélène Kerillis who also writes brilliant texts. You must have these books on your shelves because on top of this, they exist in English, providing opportunities for a very interesting work.

The Sky Blue Ribbon

At the dancing hall Le Moulin de la Galette in Montmartre, George the poet finds a sky-blue ribbon on the ground. Immediately, he imagines that it belongs to a beautiful unknown lady. A love story (Joconde loves it) that helps to discover the famous impressionist masterpiece of Auguste Renoir "Dance at Le Moulin de la Galette". In the same series of books, The night of the mermaids is based on The empire of light by René Magritte.

"A wonderful book worth reading..."

The night of the mermaids is a book between light and shadow, between life and death. Hélène Kerillis makes her colorful heroines living through close details of six paintings, mainly The Empire of light, but also The unexpected answer, Popular view, Happy donor and The red model.

After the lights have been shut down in the dormitory, Jane runs away from the boarding school and seeks her gold pendant in the night. Max and his gang have thrown it over the wall for fun. Jane comes down along the canal to search in the mud but she loses her footing and the water grasps her...

Fortunately, a group of young mermaids who is living in an underground lake begins its Great Migration to the sea. And they eventually swim the canal that runs along the school.

A beautiful story, in dark and light, full of emotions, which makes the unlikely encounter between lonesome Jane and Iris the mermaid happen ...

The last pages show the six canvases in full and a double documentary page gives insight on the painter and his works. An extract gives a track about the genesis of the story invented by Helen Kerillis: Jane is a fictional character. But she was inspired by a dramatic event in Magritte’s life: his mother drowned in the river Sambre when he was only 13 years old. Art might have been the way Magritte could recover from mourning.

A wonderful book worth reading, watching, describing or reviewing by the younger. A series to have on display in all libraries, a beautiful gift for children that is also appealing to adults accompanying the little ones reading.

The Tulip Heart

Art and fiction come together in this beautiful book for children. The hero, named Joris, works in a small laundry. One day, his family goes bankrupt and the young boy intends to take revenge.

The story takes place in the seventieth Dutch period. It is inspired by The Night Watch by Rembrandt which is on display at the new re-opened Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.

There is another book from the same series: The Sun House based on the masterpiece The yellow house by Vincent van Gogh.