Meeting Cézanne by Michael Morpurgo (review)

In this novel adapted from a BBC radio broadcast, ten-year-old Yannick is sent to stay with relatives at their inn in Provence in the 1960s. To convince Yannick that he will enjoy his time there, his mother shows him a book of paintings of the Provence area by the great artist Cézanne. Despite the dismissive attitude of his beautiful older cousin Amandine, Yannick does enjoy his stay in Provence, at least until the night that a famous guest comes for dinner at the inn. After the guest finishes his meal, Yannick, in his role as helper at the inn, crumples up the paper tablecloth and tosses it into the fire, not realizing that he has just destroyed a drawing by, as Amandine announces, “the most famous painter in the world.” To make up for his mistake, Yannick seeks out the artist, solicits a replacement drawing, and discovers to his surprise that the man he assumed was Cézanne is actually Picasso. The simple yet elegant narrative makes this a compelling choice for reading aloud while the relationship between Amandine and Yannick is likely to resonate with middle-graders who are besotted with their cooler teenage elders. Place’s frequent monochromatic, mixed-media illustrations are as clear and refined as the text and bring to life the French countryside of the 1960s. This might be useful in conjunction with an art class or a unit on artists, or hand it to the kids who love to draw more than they love to read—they’ll appreciate both the artistic connection and the brevity of the book.