Exploring the world of visual art and beyond, these books give young readers a taste of what they can create using their imagination and how to think critically about art. Read to learn more about art and artists during Youth Art Month.
Preschool
“Oh, Olive!”
by Lian Cho
Olive Chen, the most magnificent and brilliant artist in the whole wide world, cascades through town with her friends in tow, painting what she wants to and what she feels—until she reaches her parents’ pristine art museum.
“Black and White: A High Contrast Book of Art”
by The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Young readers can learn shapes while discovering some of the world’s most well-known paintings, textiles and objects. This book was developed by publisher DK Children in collaboration with the Metropolitan Museum of Art and features artwork and artifacts from the museum’s collection.
Elementary
“Ancestory”
by Hannah Salyer
In her own artwork that features the deserts of North America to the caves of Papua New Guinea, Hannah Salyer showcases ancient rock paintings, drawings and etchings and invites us to add to the ongoing story—our ancestory.
“ARTificial Intelligence”
by David Biedrzycki
Ever since he was a little chip, Robot knew he was ART-ificially different. This is a funny and heartfelt picture book exploring AI, art and creativity.
Middle School
“The Magic Paintbrush”
by Kat Zhang
When Amy, a Chinese American girl, picks up an ancient paintbrush, it unwittingly unleashes the power to make her art real—and sometimes, dangerous.
“What Is Color?: The Global and Sometimes Gross Story of Pigments, Paints, and the Wondrous World of Art”
by Steven Weinberg
In this zany, inclusive and vibrantly illustrated guide to all things color, the origins of today’s pigments come alive across continents and history, with oodles of art, tons of science and extensive interactive back matter! (Note: The back matter is the concluding section of the book following the main text.)
High School
“This Is What I Know About Art”
by Kimberly Drew
In this powerful and hopeful account, arts writer, curator and activist Kimberly Drew reminds us that the art world has space not just for the elite, but for everyone.
“Creature: Paintings, Drawings, and Reflections”
by Shaun Tan
Detailed commentary by artist Shaun Tan offers an entertaining insight into the endless allure of imaginary, non-human beings and what they might tell us about our so-called “normal” human selves. Artists, writers, students, dreamers and anyone interested in the deeper undercurrents of creativity, myth and visual metaphor will find inspiration in these pages.
