Recommended Reads

Kengi drew.

Fast, busy, everywhere their hands could reach and feet could travel.

On the front steps, inside the fridge, across the bathroom mirror, atop the cafeteria tables, even on the roll of toilet paper. Kengi's parents are frustrated, and their principal tells them they need to stop. But Ms. Beatriz tells Kengi there's somewhere in the neighborhood that they should visit.

When Kengi arrives at Mural Island, they discover a place where people can paint safely, freely, and joyfully. So Kengi does. But they're not the only one painting each day, and soon Kengi recognizes that their art doesn't have to be permanent to be monumental.

With an electric, eye-catching new style from acclaimed picture book creator Katie Yamasaki, Mural Island celebrates art, expression, and the communities that cherish both.

Perfect for fans of Raina Telgemeier and Gene Luen Yang, New Kid is a timely, honest graphic novel about starting over at a new school where diversity is low and the struggle to fit in is real, from award-winning author-illustrator Jerry Craft.

Seventh grader Jordan Banks loves nothing more than drawing cartoons about his life. But instead of sending him to the art school of his dreams, his parents enroll him in a prestigious private school known for its academics, where Jordan is one of the few kids of color in his entire grade.

As he makes the daily trip from his Washington Heights apartment to the upscale Riverdale Academy Day School, Jordan soon finds himself torn between two worlds—and not really fitting into either one. Can Jordan learn to navigate his new school culture while keeping his neighborhood friends and staying true to himself?

This funny, empowering graphic novel from rising star Ursula Murray Husted is a gorgeously illustrated glimpse into the forgotten history of Renaissance Italy, following an ambitious young girl's quest to become an apprentice to the famous Sandro Botticelli.

Life as a chicken girl isn't so bad, but Mella wants more. Though girls can't be official apprentices to artists in Florence, Mella has been secretly teaching herself to paint while tending to artist Sandro Botticelli's chickens.

When one of Botticelli's actual apprentices discovers Mella's work, he threatens to take full credit for it. Why does it matter who drew it if it's good

With the help of unexpected allies, an important patron, and a tenacious stray dog named Blue, Mella must summon all her courage, smarts, and skills to prove her worth and demand the recognition she deserves.

"This novel in verse, alternately narrated by two boys in 1980s Greenpoint, Brooklyn, one channeled by Elliott and one by Miller-Lachmann, eloquently tackles race, culture and life on the spectrum." — The New York Times

For fans of Jason Reynolds and Jacqueline Woodson, this middle-grade novel-in-verse follows two boys in 1980s Brooklyn as they become friends for a season.

Punk rock-loving JJ Pankowski can't seem to fit in at his new school in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, as one of the only white kids. Pie Velez, a math and history geek by day and graffiti artist by night is eager to follow in his idol, Jean-Michel Basquiat's, footsteps. The boys stumble into an unlikely friendship, swapping notes on their love of music and art, which sees them through a difficult semester at school and at home. But a run-in with the cops threatens to unravel it all.

From authors Zetta Elliott and Lyn Miller-Lachmann, Moonwalking is a stunning exploration of class, cross-racial friendships, and two boys' search for belonging in a city as tumultuous and beautiful as their hearts.

A funny, poignant middle grade novel about a tween who navigates questions of identity and friendship when her anonymous web comic goes viral, from the acclaimed author of Tethered to Other Stars.

Mallory Marsh is an expert at molding into whatever other people want her to be. Her true thoughts and feelings only come out in her sci-fi web comic, which she publishes anonymously as Dr. BotGirl.

But juggling all the versions of herself gets tricky, especially when Mal's mom signs her up for swim team. Instead of being honest about hating competitive swim, Mal skips out on practice and secretly joins the library's comic club. There Mal meets Noa, a cute enby kid who is very sure of who they are. As Mal helps Noa plan a drag queen story time, she tries to be the person she thinks Noa wants her to be--by lying about her stage fright.

Then Mal's web comic goes viral, and kids at school start recognizing the unflattering characters based on Mal's real-life friends. With negative pushback threatening the drag queen story time and Dr.BotGirl's identity getting harder to hide, Mallory must reckon with the lies she has told.

If she reveals her full self, will her friends, her parents, and her new crush accept the real Mallory Marsh

Be inspired by ground-breaking artists from around the world, then test out their amazing techniques at home with 25 fun step-by-step activities.



Jam-packed with imaginative ideas for all kinds of creative crafts . . . this book will make YOU an artist!



Pick up your pencils, collect your collage materials, and take inspiration from 25 of the world's best-known artists in this fact-filled book full of activities.



Discover famous masterpieces through the included photographs of real works of art -- from ancient cave painting to contemporary performance -- and lots more in between!

A sumptuously illustrated exploration of the joy that comes with creating art for one's own self

There once was a time when all the colors, from midsummer blue to sunrise orange, lived at the tips of Annie's fingers...

But when her classmates' sidelong glances cause Annie to notice all the tiny flaws in her art, her colorful creative spark fades--quite literally--to gray. With lyrical prose and eye-catching illustration author-artist Lisa Anchin shows readers how to find the beauty in imperfections and celebrate the joy of creation for creations' sake.

Four starred reviews!
A Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Book of the Year

From award-winning artist John Parra comes a “heartwarming family story that underscores the value of creativity, passion, and hard work” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) that is “a love letter to sons and their fathers” (BookPage, starred review) based on his childhood experience. 

Today is a big day—the first time Juanito gets to help his papi on the job as a landscape architect! Throughout the day, Juanito sketches anything that catches his eye: a nest full of baby birds, a nursery with row upon row of plants and flowers, and more. Father and son travel from house to house, pruning, weeding, mowing, and turning overgrown and chaotic yards into beautiful spaces. 

A few of the clients don’t appreciate Papi’s hard work, like Juanito’s classmate who pretends not to see him. But Papi always feels pride in owning his own business and in a job well done. And at the end of the day, Juanito may get the chance to turn his artistic eye toward landscape design—just like his papi.

Jo wants to paint all the wonderful things she loves. With a palette of red, yellow, and blue, Jo knows she can mix any colors together to create new ones. Her imagination takes flight as she explores painting with primary and by mixing her own secondary colors, each picture as beautiful as the last. But through her exploration of the colors of the rainbow, Jo finds that her favorite is a combination of them all: brown.

With stunning artistry from debut author/illustrator Pavonis Giron comes an illuminating story of self-love through color theory.

Celebrate the life-changing power of art in this inspiring and stunningly illustrated picture book biography of American artist Alma Thomas.

Meet an incredible woman who broke down barriers throughout her whole life and is now known as one of the most preeminent painters of the twentieth century. Told from the point of view of young Alma Thomas, readers can follow along as she grows into her discovery of the life-changing power of art.

As a child in Georgia, Alma Thomas loved to spend time outside, soaking up the colors around her. And her parents filled their home with color and creativity despite the racial injustices they faced. After the family moved to Washington, DC, Alma shared her passion for art by teaching children. When she was almost seventy years old, she focused on her own artwork, inspired by nature and space travel.

In this celebration of art and the power of imagination, Jeanne Walker Harvey and Loveis Wise tell the incredible true story of Alma Thomas, the first Black woman to have a solo exhibition at the Whitney Museum in New York City and to have her work chosen for the White House collection. With her bold and vibrant abstract paintings, Alma set the world ablaze with color.

Ablaze with Color includes extensive back matter with photos, an author's and illustrator's note, a timeline, and a list of sources and resources that will be a great tool for parents, educators, and librarians. Perfect for Women's History Month and Black History Month units alongside such favorites as Malala's Magic Pencil, Hidden Figures, and Mae Among the Stars.

• A NAACP IMAGE AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING LITERARY CHILDREN'S WORK NOMINEE!
• A JANE ADDAMS CHILDREN'S BOOK AWARD FOR YOUNGER CHILDREN 2023 FINALIST!
• A SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL BEST BOOK OF 2022!
• A NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY 2022 BEST BOOK FOR KIDS!
• A CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY BEST INFORMATIONAL BOOKS FOR YOUNGER READERS OF 2022!
• A NERDY BOOK CLUB 2022 BEST NONFICTION BOOK!
• A CCBC BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR, 2023!
• A CHARTER OAK CHILDREN'S BOOK AWARD NONFICTION NOMINEE!
• A 2022 CALIBA GOLDEN POPPY AWARD FINALIST!
• A 2023 NORTHERN CALIFORNIA BOOK AWARD (NCBA) IN CHILDREN'S BOOKS: YOUNGER READERS NOMINEE!

With a simple, witty story and free-spirited illustrations, Peter H. Reynolds entices even the stubbornly uncreative among us to make a mark - and follow where it takes us.

Her teacher smiled. "Just make a mark and see where it takes you."

Art class is over, but Vashti is sitting glued to her chair in front of a blank piece of paper. The words of her teacher are a gentle invitation to express herself. But Vashti can’t draw - she’s no artist. To prove her point, Vashti jabs at a blank sheet of paper to make an unremarkable and angry mark. "There!" she says.

That one little dot marks the beginning of Vashti’s journey of surprise and self-discovery. That special moment is the core of Peter H. Reynolds’s delicate fable about the creative spirit in all of us.

Join artist Claude Monet as he chases his cat through his greatest works!

Claude Monet's iconic house was also home to a small white pottery cat. When this cat awakes from its nap and comes to life, it jumps into one of Monet's famous paintings! The cat can't be caught as it frolicks and meanders through Monet's greatest works, always just too far out of Monet's reach.

Inspired by the actual porcelain cat that was prominently displayed in Monet's studio, this book offers a fun feline perspective and is a great way to teach kids about Monet's art.

A Chicago Public Library Best Book of 2024

A School Library Journal Best Book of 2024

3 Starred Reviews! 

Does art have to be perfect? Where do you begin? This inspiring picture book about making art doubles as an introduction to the multifaceted and diverse global history of art empowering readers to get creative.

Awed by the endless possibilities, a young girl begins asking meaningful questions about creating art. Her questions are answered by a diverse group of artists throughout time and history: from the earliest cave painters to the most recent digital illustrators. Rethinking the familiar Western European timeline of art history, this book introduces readers to diverse works from every era and continent in a playful and inspiring way.

Making both art history and art making accessible to all, Time to Make Art nourishes creativity, encouraging young readers to see the artist in themselves.

Using no special effects other than the reader's imagination, simple directions lead the reader to experiment with mixing and changing colors on the printed page.

Aaron Slater, Illustrator is an uplifting story about the power of art, finding your voice, and telling your story even when you're out of step with your peers, from Andrea Beaty and David Roberts, the #1 bestselling creators of Sofia Valdez, Future Prez and Ada Twist, Scientist!



An instant #1 New York Times bestseller!



An instant USA Today bestseller!



Aaron Slater loves listening to stories and dreams of one day writing them himself. But when it comes to reading, the letters just look like squiggles to him, and it soon becomes clear he struggles more than his peers. When his teacher asks each child in the class to write a story, Aaron can't get a single word down. He is sure his dream of being a storyteller is out of reach . . . until inspiration strikes, and Aaron finds a way to spin a tale in a way that is uniquely his.



Printed with a dyslexia-friendly font, Aaron Slater, Illustrator tells the empowering story of a boy with dyslexia who discovers that his learning disability may inform who he is, but it does not define who he is, and that there are many ways to be a gifted communicator.



Check out all the books in the Questioneers Series:

• The Questioneers Picture Book Series: Iggy Peck, Architect | Rosie Revere, Engineer | Ada Twist, Scientist | Sofia Valdez, Future Prez | Aaron Slater, Illustrator | Lila Greer, Teacher of the Year
• The Questioneers Chapter Book Series: Rosie Revere and the Raucous Riveters | Ada Twist and the Perilous Pants | Iggy Peck and the Mysterious Mansion | Sofia Valdez and the Vanishing Vote | Ada Twist and the Disappearing Dogs | Aaron Slater and the Sneaky Snake
• Questioneers: The Why Files Series: Exploring Flight! | All About Plants! | The Science of Baking | Bug Bonanza! | Rockin' Robots!
• Questioneers: Ada Twist, Scientist Series: Ghost Busted | Show Me the Bunny | Ada Twist, Scientist: Brainstorm Book | 5-Minute Ada Twist, Scientist Stories
• The Questioneers Big Project Book Series: Iggy Peck's Big Project Book for Amazing Architects | Rosie Revere's Big Project Book for Bold Engineers | Ada Twist's Big Project Book for Stellar Scientists | Sofia Valdez's Big Project Book for Awesome Activists | Aaron Slater's Big Project Book for Astonishing Artists