Monet Chases the Light
is a creative non-fiction picture book for children aged 4-6 years. Claude Monet, a French artist, produced paintings that glowed with light and colour.
Monet was fascinated by light and painted at all times of the day, in all seasons, and in all kinds of weather in his endeavour to capture the light in his work. This book introduces children to Monets fascination with light in a playful manner. He chases the light as it frolics through the corn fields, dances in the treetops, and skips across the shimmering water. Monet paints quickly, as the light never stays still for long. When the light is soft and silky, he uses gentle flowing strokes. When the light is harsh and bright, he uses rough, choppy strokes. Monet sometimes paints the same thing over and over, from dawn until dusk, watching the colours and light change as the sun drifts across the sky.
At his home in Giverny Monet creates a splendid waterlily pond. He paints magical pictures of his pond as the light prances through the waterlilies. Then, as an old man, Monet grows tired of chasing the light. He sits quietly beside his pond. Monet has spent his life chasing the light, but now at last the light finds him.