Cultured Donuts

October 31, 2022
Tyler takes a holey irreverent approach to art education in this pastry pastiche, whose 16 images of a pink-frosted doughnut with rainbow sprinkles mimic the styles of famous artists, from Da Vinci to Basquiat. Spotlighting mostly white male creators from the U.S. and Europe, each full spread lays out the artist’s background and impact alongside a doughnut rendered in the form of an emblematic work; a “Delicious Detail” highlights a fascinating factoid. Monet’s pastry sits tucked amid impressionistic water lilies and surface reflections, a Cassatt revels in well-lighted textures, a Van Gogh appears amid The Starry Night swirls, and a Seurat appears in pointillist textures. It’s a well-executed, if disappointingly uninclusive, take on art mimicking life—or at least Dunkin’ Donuts. Tips & Tricks for Tasty Technique effectively deconstruct processes used; a glossary defines art movements, styles, and techniques. Ages 8–12.

November 1, 2022

Gr 3-5-This enticing visual representation of the lives and work of famous artists opens with a table of contents that reads like a donut shop menu. Each donut represents the artistic style of a famous visual artist, incorporating basic details of the artist's life and career. Every vignette and corresponding donut illustration includes a "Delicious Detail" about the artists and their work. Tyler's artwork is incredible, combining her knowledge of fellow artists' styles, her lush and detailed technique, and her humorous repetitive use of an illustrated pink frosted donut with colorful sprinkles. Readers will delight in the visuals while learning age-appropriate information about the artists, who represent a variety of eras; female artists include Mary Cassatt, Georgia O'Keeffe, and Tyler herself. She offers an encouraging letter to readers, a glossary, and technique suggestions for mimicking the artists featured in the book. Although the visual art is exceptional, the text lacks the excitement of the visuals, and often reads like the homework assignment of a high school student. VERDICT Despite a lackluster text, this is an eye-catching nonfiction addition to school and public library collections.-Casey O'Leary

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 15, 2022
An art history primer with a sweet conceit. In an artist's note, Tyler introduces her endeavor to emulate the style of 16 artists in depictions of donuts. "Why donuts?" she writes, asking the question that may cross many readers' minds. She then matter-of-factly explains her project's inspiration: "I have a sweet tooth that is impossible to satisfy and donuts are often on my mind." Ensuing pages devote one spread to each artist, with versos typically offering a brief biography, an example of the artist's work, and a point of interest about the artist under the heading "Delicious Details." (There are a few artists without a representative piece of art reprinted, likely due to copyright concerns.) The biographical statements are succinct and informative, typically including commentary on the artist's media and movement. Tyler's donuts on the facing pages evidence her careful study of the artists' styles, and terrific backmatter distills descriptions of techniques to inspire readers to attempt imitating their styles, as well. The fly in the ointment of this ambitious, well-executed book is the lack of diversity in the 16 featured artists. Most are European or American White men, with only two women (Mary Cassatt and Georgia O'Keeffe) and two men of color (Jean-Michel Basquiat and Tadanori Yokoo) included. (This book was reviewed digitally.) An engaging art history read that would have benefitted from greater inclusivity. (glossary) (Informational picture book. 6-9)

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