Rene Magritte (1898-1967), created some of the most unusual and original works of art. "The Son of Man," one of his most famous paintings, shows an elegant man wearing an overcoat and bowler hat with an apple in front of his face. Magritte loved to put familiar things in unusual places. As part of the Surrealist art movement, he depicted some things larger than life while in others he interjected a night scene set in a blue sky. Because his life was filled with unusual events, Magritte was inspired to create the unusual. He wanted people to wonder about his work. Even his painting titles are food for thought. Magritte felt that traditional art was stiff and boring, so he set out to surprise the viewer. Prints of his work included in the book are sure to give the reader a sense of delight and will surely invite a closer look. Cartoons tucked into a few pages add to the fun and will help children enjoy art. As part of the" Getting to know the World's Greatest Artists" series, the book also includes some prints of Magritte's contemporary art. 2002, Children's Press/Scholastic,