Art can amuse, inspire and provide a backdrop for many adventures for kids and teens. These stories based on art and artistry may stir your child’s own creativity.
By Howard County Library System Children’s Instructor & Research Specialist Jean Boone and Senior Teens’ Instructor & Research Specialist Carmen Jessop
Board Books
“A B C Dance! An Animal Alphabet”
by Sabrina Moyle, illustrated by Eunice Moyle
Hustle with the hedgehogs and waltz with the water buffalos! The alliterative rhymes in this energetic book reinforce letter sounds while joyfully presenting every kind of dance move imaginable. Everyone will be on their feet for this read-aloud.
“This Little Artist: An Art History Primer”
by Joan Holub, illustrated by Daniel Roode
Introduce little ones to 10 famous artists and their unique art forms, from Michelangelo to Basquiat. Who knows what these simple and bright images may inspire, as the last page asks, “Crayons, paper, paint or clay — what will you use to make art today?”
Picture Books
“Dog Loves Drawing”
by Louise Yates
When Dog receives a sketchbook from his Aunt Dora and draws a door, it opens a world of adventure as limitless as his imagination. As each page fills with Dog’s simple doodles and drawings, readers are pulled into the delightful journey and the joy of creating.
“Boys Dance!”
by John Robert Allman, illustrated by Luciano Lozano
Celebrate the skill, training, passion and athleticism at the heart of ballet dancing by following a group of students through ballet class. With positive, rhyming text, this book from the American Ballet Theatre encourages boys to imagine their role and potential in the dance world, following in the footsteps of dance greats whether it’s ballet, jazz, tap, or hip hop. Leap in!
Elementary Books
“Ada’s Violin: The Story of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay”
by Susan Hood, illustrated by Sally Wern Comport
In an impoverished town built on a landfill in Paraguay, children had few opportunities to experience the beauty of music until an engineer/musician offered music lessons. But where would the instruments come from? With ingenuity and dedication, the community created instruments out of the trash heap and the Recycled Orchestra grew into a force of hope and opportunity for a new generation. Beautiful collage illustrations bring to life the power of music.
“Shai and Emmie Star in Break an Egg!”
by Quvenshane Wallis
Early chapter book readers will enjoy this drama set at a performing arts school. When Shai auditions for a lead role in the class musical and doesn’t get it, she must learn to adapt and perform with grace and empathy. Written by a young professional actress with realistic emotion, the lively story and expressive illustrations express all the highs and lows of putting on a show.
Middle Grade Books
“The Lost Art Mysteries: The Van Gogh Deception”
by Deron Hicks
In this fast-paced mystery and first of a series, a young boy is discovered in Washington D.C.’s National Gallery with no memory of who he is. He soon begins a high-stakes race to unravel the greatest mysteries of all: his identity and one of the biggest art frauds ever attempted. Digitally interactive, the book features QR codes woven throughout the book that bring renowned paintings to readers’ fingertips.
“Drama”
by Raina Telgemeier
In the graphic novel “Drama,” from best-selling author and cartoonist Raina Telemeier, humor and friendship are center stage. The story follows Callie on an emotional roller coaster while she’s serving on the stage crew for a middle school production of “Moon Over Mississippi,” as various relationships start and end, and others never quite get going.
Teen Books
“A Forgery of Roses”
by Jessica S. Olson
Myra has a gift many would kidnap, blackmail and worse to control: She’s a portrait artist whose paintings alter people’s bodies. Guarding that secret is the only way to keep her younger sister safe now that their parents are gone. But one frigid night, the governor’s wife discovers the truth and threatens to expose Myra if she does not complete a special portrait that would resurrect the governor’s dead son. However, soon Myra discovers nothing — and no one — is how it seems as she fights to keep her secret and avoid the family’s sinister intentions.
The Ocean Would Paint Me Blue
by Zoulfa Katouh
Seventeen-year-old Jihad Dabbagh has always seen life with a heightened sense for colors, one of many magical blessings the women in her family possess. But Jihad’s gift changes after the sudden passing of her mother. As she attends her senior year at the elite Braxton Academy, Jihad’s name and hijab put a target on her back. Her haven comes in the form of an old sketchbook found in her mother’s vanity, and whose drawings take on a life of their own.
