In my second picture book, A Good Day for Ducks, our energetic sibling protagonists finish their rainy day exploits by making some duck-themed art. I am a fervent believer in the benefits of free, unstructured creative expression through art, and the power of art to heal, to inspire, to build confidence, and to support self-discovery and expression.
Here’s a handful of fantastic kids books that celebrate the wonder, power and pleasure of art.
The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse
One of the best parts of being an artist is that you can create just about anything your heart can imagine. The boring rules of the every day world need not apply in your art! Want to create a blue horse or a purple fox? You can! The only limit is your imagination, as Eric Carle masterfully explains in this simple, effective celebration of creativity.
Start with a red square. Add some holes. Cut off a corner. Snip it into ribbons. Change the colour. Turn it into a fountain. A stream. Anything else you can imagine. As an artist, you hold the power.
Sometimes creation is a smooth process, and sometimes it can be, well, messy. With one wrong move, an entire work of art can be ruined. Or can it? Many young artists struggle with the idea of perfection, and one perceived mistake can cause a catastrophic loss of confidence and an outpouring of tears. This sweet book is all about celebrating unexpected moments in the artistic process, and turning oops into oh wows!
“I can’t draw/paint/sculpt”, “I’m not an artist”, “I hate art”. Anyone who’s worked with young people in any sort of creative context will likely have heard these declarations. In fact, many of us grownups are guilty of saying the same things! The child in the dot definitely shares these sentiments, convinced that she’s no artist. Her art teacher encourages her to just put something on paper, just a simple dot of paint, and see where it goes. From this simple dot flows an incredible artistic transformation. Sometimes a blank page or blank canvas can be so intimidating, sometimes children have received negative feedback from their peers or for grownups, or sometimes children just put too much pressure on themselves. Whatever the reason, the dot is as meaningful for adults as it is for kids, reminding us to be gentle with ourselves and our young charges, to support, to guide, to encourage and to step back and let budding young artists bloom in their own way, and their own pace.
Another book that’s just as meaningful for educators as it is for children, The Art of Miss Chew is a colourful champion for the importance of art education. When a teacher argues that Trisha is wasting her time with a pointless art class, her teacher Miss Chew comes to the rescue, fighting alongside Trisha for her right to a more creative, whole-child education. Like so many of Polacco’s books, this one makes me so proud to be an educator.
One of the neatest things about art is that it doesn’t have to take place in any particular spot – you can make art in the classroom, at home, at the park, outside – just about anywhere! Nor does art have to be a solitary process – in fact, it can bring an entire community together. Maybe Something Beautiful shows how art can revitalize a community and bring it together through a common goal, and is based on an inspiring true story.
Obviously these are just a few of the many wonderful picture books that celebrate art and creativity, and that will encourage you to bust out your paper and box of crayons and get creating! What are some of your favourite art-themed picture books?