Art is all around us, bringing us happiness and filling our lives with beauty. Whether you are an artist or a spectator, there is so much to learn about art and the artists behind the work. Here are a few picture books that encourage creativity and appreciation for art.
By Jeff Mack
New York: Henry Holt and Company, 2024. Picture Book.
A little girl is asking artists from all throughout history about what makes something “art.” Not only is she learning to appreciate art of all different kinds, but she is learning that there is nothing really holding her back from being an artist herself. There is always something to create and there is no exact way to create art.
Nature is the greatest artist, with all of the beautiful colors, shapes, and creations that come from it. We can also become artists by observing and following nature’s example. We can look to the colors of a landscape and sunset and use our fingers to paint and mold sandcastles. There is so much to create and nature sets the perfect example.
Nola’s Scribbles Save the Day: An Adventure in Creativity
By Cristina Lalli
Salem, MA: Page Street Kids, 2020. Picture Book.
Nola loves to scribble everywhere she goes. But people don’t seem to understand her scribbles, so she starts hiding them away. As time goes on she starts to try to makes the scribbles into something that people understand, but her scribbles are resisting, until one day when her scribbles completely stop and she is left in a completely blank world. There she finds other artists who are dealing with the same struggles. She is nervous to start sharing her scribbles again, but knows it is the only way out of the blank world.
La Habra, CA: Yeehoo Press, 2021. Picture Book.
A celebration of imagination, creativity, acceptance, and art that will delight children of all ages. Ever tried to make the meanest, wildest, scariest monster? What if even a green tongue, pointy horns, creepy sharp teeth, and claws won't frighten anyone away? Join the frustrated artist on a hilariously hair-raising adventure where the scary and not-scary mingle and lead to the discovery that overcoming fear and prejudice can bring about a wonderful friendship.
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