“My Fingerpaint Masterpiece Coloring Book” by Sherrill S. Cannon

• 06/26/2023
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My Fingerpaint Masterpiece Coloring Book

Sherrill S. Cannon
Strategic Book Publishing (2023)
ISBN: 978-1682358122
Reviewed by Lydia (age 9) for Reader Views Kids (06/2023)

“My Fingerpaint Masterpiece” by Sherrill S. Cannon is a story inside of a coloring book. The story is about a child who lost a piece of artwork; they were on their way home when the wind took their picture- sent it flying away. By mistake, the picture landed somewhere where it wasn’t supposed to – with other pieces of artwork being sent to be on display and judged. The child saw their artwork on display in a wooden frame while they were out with their parents and heard what the judges thought about the painting, which they thought was an adult artist’s work, but it wasn’t. The kid tried to tell everyone that it was their picture, but the judges and everyone around didn’t believe them. The kid left with their parents but is able to see their picture on display in the art gallery.

I like this book because the pictures are well-drawn, and I like that it is a coloring book because I like to color. We aren’t told if the main character in the story is a boy or a girl, but personally, I think it is a girl because that is what my gut is telling me. The story is easy to understand, but I also had some trouble understanding with not knowing the gender of the main character. I was able to read all the words in the story and I liked that it rhymed, which made it easier to read. Any kids will enjoy this book, especially ones who enjoy art.

Note from Mom: “My Fingerpaint Masterpiece” covers several topics throughout the story. The topic of listening to authority figures is mentioned when it talks about the child not signing their name on the picture, as well as their parents getting upset with them for not coming straight home after school. The topic of standing up for yourself, but also knowing when it’s appropriate to back down, is seen when the child tries to tell the judges that the picture is theirs, and no one believes them, which leads to the topic of not dismissing a child’s statements and problem-solving. The story is well-written in rhyming text, making it a pleasure to read silently or aloud. The author includes some seek-and-find items throughout the story, with the answers listed at the end, and then a blank page for a child to draw a masterpiece. The fact that the main character remains genderless is a positive thing that allows any child to insert themselves into the role of the child in the story to determine how they would handle the situation.