Part autobiographical, part fictional, this allegorical tale by beloved multi-media artist Faith Faith Ringgold sparkles with symbolic and historical references central to African-American culture. Follow the dream adventure of eight-year-old Cassie Louise Lightfoot, who flies above her apartment-building rooftop, the ‘tar beach’ of the title, looking down on 1939 Harlem. Spectacular artwork resonating with color…

Learn about influential Mexican painter Frida Kahlo, and the animals that inspired her art and life. Charming Frida-inspired visuals and lively, often lyrical prose tell of Frida’s beloved pets—two monkeys, a parrot, three dogs, two turkeys, an eagle, a black cat, and a fawn—and playfully considers how Frida embodied many wonderful characteristics of each animal.…

Inspired by African-American artist Romare Bearden’s famous painting, Watching the Good Trains Go By and using text influenced by the jazz that Bearden loved, Jeanne Walker Harvey describes the patchwork of daily southern life that Romare saw out the train’s window and the story of his arrival in shimmering New York City. Elizabeth Zunon’s illustrations…

Featuring cut-paper illustrations and interactive foldout pages, this inspiring story of how French artist Henri Matisse’s never-ending curiosity (and adaption to physical limitations) helped turn a small experiment into a radical new form of art. The stunning reproductions of brightly colored plants, animals, and shapes of all sizes will inspire young artists to experiment. Includes…

Learn about Yayoi Kusama’s fascinating story with gorgeous reproductions of Kusama’s icnoic artworks and complementary illustrations.

Growing up in the mountains of Japan, Kusama dreamed of becoming an artist. One day, she had a vision in which the world and everything in it—the plants, the people, the sky—were covered in polka dots. She began…

Parents and children can look at art together, ask questions and make discoveries. Features such as “Art Detectives” encourage readers to solve clues and “Fun Facts” help them remember the pictures. With reproductions of more than 50 paintings from the 14th century through to the early 20th century Ggouped into 13 themes, such as Animals,…

Two lizards go on a whirlwind trip through various artistic media in a playful, gorgeously illustrated book by three-time Caldecott medalist David Wiesner.

In this exuberant celebration of creativity, Barb Rosenstock and Mary GrandPré tell the fascinating story of Vasily Kandinsky, one of the very first painters of abstract art. Throughout his life, Kandinsky experienced colors as sounds, and sounds as colors—and bold, groundbreaking works burst forth from his noisy paint box.

Animal versions of two famous artists become fierce rivals, calling each other names and building a fence between their (lavishly painted) houses until they creatively solve their conflict. My kids became familiar with Picasso and Matisse’s unique styles through Nina Laden’s wacky illustrations and love recognizing their works at local museums.

Prepare for  visit to the Met (or reminisce after) by readingthis delightful, wordless book  which pairs the adventures of a balloon flying around NYC with artwork from the Met.  A little girl leaves her prized yellow balloon tied to a railing outside the Met, but the string becomes untied, and the balloon embarks on…

A gorgeous, inspiring picture books about self-taught French artist. Starting at 40 with no formal training, he painted until the jungles and animals and distant lands in his head came alive on the space of his canvases. Michelle Markel’s vivid text, complemented by the vibrant illustrations of Amanda Hall, introduces the eccentric painter who endured…