Henri's Scissors

Written by Jeanette Winter in 2013, Henri's Scissors is an information text that tells the story of Henri Matisse who was a famous painter.  Henri becomes ill and unfortunately cannot paint anymore however he then discovers he can draw through cutting images out and becomes famous for his artwork involving intense shapes and vivid colors.  The author's note tells us that he lived from 1869-1954, which is interesting as a part of the story mentions how Henri would have his assistants paint paper for him.  This line in the text truly made me start thinking as the story never mentioned when exactly Matisse lived but through using my own schema I was able to determine that it was a long time ago as colored paper seemed to not exit. This book would be great to use in the classroom as it would encourage students to rely on their schema as well while reading. It also offers readers a view of artwork from another perspective other than simply drawing or painting.  Often times, unique forms of artwork can be overlooked and this story serves as a strong way to communicate the readers the value of art and its multidimensional definition of what artwork truly is.  Take a look at some of Henri Matisse's artwork below!