**All images courtesy of Amazon.com**
This is by no means an exhaustive list of all of the wonderful art books available for kids.
These are however, a few of my very favorites.
Inspiring Creativity
Beautiful Oops! by Barney Saltzberg
The tactile and interactive nature of this book makes it a really fun read. It has a great message teaching kids that its okay to make a mistake and that mistakes can be the beginning of something unexpected and beautiful.
The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds
Kids can sometimes be insecure about their ability to create art. This story proves that even just a dot can be the start of amazing art.
The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse by Eric Carle
I love this story because it emphasizes the idea that in your artwork you are free to be creative and you do not need to stick to the so called “normal” colors. A blue horse? Why not!
Artist Biographies
My Name Is Georgia: A Portrait by Jeanette Winter
I have to highlight this particular biography because Georgia O’Keeffe is one of my personal favorite artists. It can also sometimes be challenging to find books written about female artists so my daughter and I really love this one. This book gives the story of Georgia O’Keeffe’s life and work in language even my three year old can understand and grasp.
Laurence Anholt’s Artists Books For Children by Laurence Anholt
These books show and tell the story of famous artists through their encounters with children. The stories are engaging with vivid illustrations and reproductions of the artist’s work.
Getting to Know the World’s Greatest Artists by Mike Venezia
These books are great for getting a snapshot of the life and work of the most well known artists. The cartoon-like illustrations are fun and help makes these books anything but a boring history lesson. I have used these in my classroom with elementary all the way through middle school students.
Art Topics
Roberto: The Insect Architect by Nina Laden
Roberto is a termite who dreams of becoming an architect. This is the story of how he follows his dream, despite what others think.
Mouse Paint by Ellen Stoll Walsh
Super simple book that teaches color mixing to young children with cute little dancing mice.
For Teens
The Annotated Mona Lisa by Carol Strickland
An abbreviated course in art history with great photos and information. It includes everything from Prehistoric Art to Post-Modern Art. This is definitely a more academic type book but for any teen (or adult) interested in art history this is a great one stop shop that covers it all.
The Daily Book of Art by Colin Gilbert and Dylan Gilbert