10 Books for the Young Artiste
by Janssen Bradshaw
Most children love to draw, and if you have a budding artist in your home, it’s delightful to watch them translate the world around them with clay, crayon, or paint.
These ten books celebrate art of all kinds, whether it’s hanging on the wall of a museum or created with a broken crayon.
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The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse
Available from:With minimal text, this book shares the story of a young artist who paints the world with color and imagination, including animals in colors you wouldn’t see at the zoo (a black polar bear? an orange elephant?). This is particularly fun for readers who grew up on the classic board book, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?. The back includes a brief biography of Eric Carle, which is a great way to introduce him to aspiring artists.
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The Pencil
Available from:A pencil begins drawing, first a few animals and people and eventually a whole town, including a paintbrush to color everyone in. But then the complaining starts, with requests for a better hat or smaller ears, and the pencil is forced to draw an eraser. But that eraser quickly gets out of hand.
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The Day the Crayons Quit
Available from:Duncan loves to draw, happily making elaborate scenes with his crayons. Until one day he gets a letter from his crayons who are unhappy about the ways they’re being used. Orange and Yellow can’t agree which of them is the true color of the sun, while Blue is worn out from being used to color enormous bodies of water. Is there any way to make everyone happy?
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Dog Loves Drawing
Dog loves books, so when one arrives in the mail, he’s delighted. When he discovers the book is blank, he realizes he can fill it with his own artwork, which quickly comes to life. Pair this book with a blank journal and let kids explore their own drawing abilities.
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The Museum
On a trip to an art gallery, a little girl finds herself overcome with various feelings in front of the paintings, experiencing a whole range of emotions. Then she’s confronted with a blank canvas and realizes it gives her the opportunity to convey emotions of her own. This is an ideal book to read together before visiting an art museum with your child.
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The Dot
Available from:For every child who has ever felt frustrated by their inability to draw or dream up something artistic, this book provides the perfect response. Vashti is stuck after art class, convinced she can’t draw at all. But her wise teacher encourages her to just make a single mark and see where it leads. And the results are delightful.
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Beautiful Oops!
An artistic mistake doesn’t have to ruin everything; in fact, it can make things even more exciting. This book — packed with pop-ups, flaps, cutouts, and overlays — is both delightful to read and ideal for children who struggle with perfectionism.
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Lots of Dots
It’s hard to imagine something more basic than a dot, but Frazier exuberantly takes dots to a whole new level in this clever book where a dot can be a traffic light, the yolk of an egg, or the spots on a ladybug’s back.
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Art & Max
Two friends, Art and Max, are both painters, but while Art is highly accomplished, Max is a frustrated beginner. In a burst of inspiration, Art suggests that Max paint him. The resulting variations are both funny and great for sparking discussions about different styles of art.
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A Day with No Crayons
After Liza colors on the wall, her mother confiscates her crayons and the world seems dreary and gray. But eventually Liza discovers that art and color can be found all around her.
