Welcome to my latest blog piece. I am so excited to share handpicked books all based around art. The piece will include activity books as well as reads that are more informative about the subject of art. I do hope you enjoy the piece as much as I have compiling it. Let’s start with a brilliant informative read about art.
Lift the Flap Questions and Answers about Art by Katie Daynes and illustrated by Marie-Eve Tremblay
This brilliantly compiled book is ideal for readers as young as 4 years old. Published by Usborne Publishing, the book answers an array of questions all relating to art including Do artist use rulers? Why do artists paint fruit? Why is art so expensive? The book further explores various art work including statues, the history of artists like the Impressionists, it explains how paint was made and so much more.
The detailed illustrated pages and the addition of flaps to lift, over 60 of them, makes this a super engaging read. The board book format makes this a great sturdy read which would be great whilst out and about. Towards the end of the book there is also a section of Things to Spot, where readers have to find various art, sculptures and statues by looing back through the book. Fantastic.
We Are Artists by Kari Herbert
We Are Artists is a fantastic book taking readers on a journey through the world of art and celebrates female artists. Published by Thames and Hudson, the book discusses the life and work of 15 female artists from around the world. Each biographical narrative explores the artists unique perspective of the art world and informs readers about how they thought on a social stance too.
I would recommend the book for 8 years old and up and I know there are many adults who would enjoy this read. Kari Herbert’s text and engaging illustrations are an absolute delight where readers can see portraits of each artists as well as examples of their work. I also particularly like the quotations noted from each artist.
The book is a great exploration in to the mind of some female artists who perhaps are often left out of art history. The chosen 15 artists for the book are diverse and include artists, Yayoi Kusama from Japan, French artist Suzanne Valadon, Mexican artist Frida Kahlo and African American artist Alma Thomas.
Mixed by Arre Chung
My girls and I first came across this book in our local library and it has been such a popular read that it’s been renewed a few times. The book is such an entertaining read with art learning woven within it. As the title suggests the story is based on the mixing of colours between the primary colours red, yellow and blue. However, on a deeper level it is sharing how we can all get along regardless of our appearance and ethnicity. We can all live in harmony.
The book is such a clever read and the background of black and white inky scenes really make the colours red, yellow and blue pop in the story. As the colours begin to mix new colours are created which are stated in the story and would be a great stimulus to create these colours at home of perhaps in an art lesson.
Not only is this a book sharing an important message it is presented brilliantly and has certainly proved a popular read in our home.
Draw Here An Activity Book, I Have an Idea and Mix It Up by Herve Tullet.
Draw Here – An Activity Book is a great activity book that oozes fun and experimentation through scribbling, drawing and inventing. Readers are able to explore the world of Herve Tullet’s work, who we are big fans on and his book was one of the first I reviewed here on my blog. With over 140 pages, the activity book is bursting with various activities including, repeating designs, joining images together and creating doodles using shapes all ready illustrated. The book is a celebration of Herve Tullet’s signature dots and would be a super resource to take along with readers who are travelling or would like to complete some arty fun at home or need some quiet time for some mindfulness.
I Have An Idea is a fun unique read all about an idea that you may have. Its witty text complete with engaging, humorous illustrations are an absolute treat. The book explores the different stages an idea may go through, from attempting to think of an idea to the frustration it can cause when an idea isn’t going your way, to the absolute joy when an idea is working wonderfully. As well as being an arty read exploring the creative process, the book would be a great resource in a classroom highlighting that ideas can take time and sometimes it will be a case of experimenting with an idea before you are super content with it. This would be a great read for children and adults.
Mix It Up is a super interactive read sharing with children how colours can transform by mixing them together. Herve Tullet has created a book where children are encouraged to join in, to shake the book, to move their fingers around the page, to have fun and enjoy this magical read where colours change with the help of the reader. The book is a wonderful tool in supporting children’s knowledge of colour and a great teaching resource in sharing how colours mix. An absolutely brilliant book which is very popular in our home.
Arty Mouse Colouring Activity Book and Arty Mouse Tracing Activity Book.
Arty Mouse is a fun series of activity books by Top That Publishing. In Arty Mouse Colouring readers are introduced to the fun it can be in picture making, exploring different shapes but also developing motor skills in supporting children’s writing skills. There are various activities in the book where children are asked to complete drawings, colour illustrations in a particular colour and complete trails.
In Arty Mouse Tracing Activity Book children are encouraged to trace various line shapes, curved, vertical and horizontal to support children with their writing skills. There are lots of different pictures for children to complete by tracing over the lines of different illustrations and shapes such as balloons, houses, snail shells and more. Both activity books would be great for children who are 3 years old and up.
Learn To Draw with Katie by James Mayhew
James Mayhew is a talented author and illustrator who has created a picture book series all about Katie. Katie visits various museums and galleries and is able to step in to the world of many different paintings. The books are absolutely brilliant, not only as they are super stories to share but also because readers are being introduced to different artists and their paintings. Learn To Draw would be a great activity book to accompany one of the Katie picture books. Readers are encouraged to complete their own masterpiece using step by step guides. The book explores different colouring techniques, gives background information about the different artists included in the book and children can complete works of art such as the chair in Van Gogh’s chair painting and the flowers in Paul Gauguin’s piece.
The Usborne Art Sticker Book by Sarah Courtauld and Kate Davies and illustrated by Holly Surplice and The Usborne Famous Paintings Sticker Book by Megan Cullis and illustrated by Mark Beech.
Usborne have produced these wonderful sticker books that are absolutely fantastic. These would be great picks not only for gifting but also for packing with you when travelling with children. The Usborne Art Sticker Book is divided up into categories such as animals, colour, nature and children. Readers are presented with lots of different information about various pieces of art and then they need to find that piece of artwork amonst the stckers, there are over 100 stickers. As well as being a great sticker book it doubles up as super non-fiction read all about artists and their work.
The Usborne Famous Paintings Sticker Book is similar to the Usborne Art Sticker Book in style but the paintings perhaps may be more familiar with some readers. For example, artists like Frida Kahlo, Leonardo Da Vinci, Edouard Manet and Van Gogh are included in this book.
Each sticker book would be great for readers 5 years old and up.
Art MasterClass with Gustav Klimt, Vincent Van Gogh and Claude Monet illustrated by Hanna Konola.
These super masterclass activity books are dedicated to popular artists. In each book readers have 12 masterclasses to complete. Each books include an introduction to the artist, a time line, and there are over 50 stickers and a pull out double sided poster. In Masterclass Gustav Klimt you will learn how to bedazzle your artwork with metallic collage and use patterns to make pictures. In Masterclass Claude Monet readers can use dots to build up a picture and paint a sunset. In Masterclass Van Gogh readers can create their own still life and self portrait as well colour in Van Gogh’s artwork.
I do hope my sharing of art themed picture books and activity books may inspire more art fun in your home or learning setting.
Disclaimer: Some of these books were received from the publishers for the purpose of the review and others from the linrary or bought myself. I chose for these books to be included in the piece. All words and opinins are my own. This post contains affiliate links.