Little Sap and Monsieur Rodin

Review
By School Library Journal

This fictionalized tale is based on actual events that occurred in the early 1900s, when five- and six-year-old Cambodian girls were trained at the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh in the art of their country’s traditional dance… Hoshino’s matte acrylic paintings with pen-and-ink outlining and some paper collage contain elements of both impressionist and folk-art styles. They feature eye-pleasing shades of peach, burnt orange, soft yellow, aquamarine, and green. Images of lovely wide-eyed girls, sampan boats, and the cobblestoned courtyard of a French villa draw readers into Little Sap’s world and expose a moment of creative inspiration. An inviting glimpse at Cambodian dance and a sweet tidbit of art history.