Sweetie picked out There Was an Old Man Who Painted the Sky by Teri Sloat and illustrated by Stefano Vital last week when we were at the library.  I wasn’t sure what to expect when we sat down to read it together.  To my delight, Sloat has not just created another cheesy version of “I know an old lady…” she has brought the folk song into a whole different place.The illustrations are all inspired by cave paintings and because the story is written in rhyme (like the song) the illustrations seem to dance and shimmer along with the text. It’s a wonderful blend of art and words. 

This picture book captures the beauty of cave paintings that were discovered at the Altamira Cave in 1879. A young girl found the paintings when she was eight years old and exploring with her father, an amateur archaeologist. This imaginative story expresses the awe of contemplating the creation of the world and locating beauty in an unexpected place. Children will revel in this timeless tale with truly breathtaking images. It captures the spirit of the paintings and marries their glory with a catchy tune, introducing the wonder of these images to a new generation. They have already survived 11,000-19,000 years, so it’s only appropriate to share them with generations.