We often get asked about art book recommendations, and to be honest we do have a LOT! Check out the books we have available on our book page. We love the idea of children learning through both hands-on projects and also through reading, and in each leaflet in our boxes we do also recommend specific theme-related books to read for each project.
Here is a list of our absolute favourites: 8 about art history in general; 8 about artists themselves; 8 interactive art books that children can draw in; and finally 8 picture book stories where the theme is art!
We hope you enjoy them and that this is helpful! Also please do share any of your own favourites 🙂
8 Art History Books for Children
The Art Book for Children Book one and Book two – Phaidon
Children’s Book of Art – DK
The School of Art by Teal Triggs – Wide Eyed Editions
13 Women Artists Children Should Know
13 Architects Children Should Know
13 Modern Artists Children Should Know
13 Art Movements Children Should Know – all Prestel
A History of Pictures for Children by David Hockney and Martin Grayford – Thames & Hudson
The Ultimate Art Museum by Ferren Gipson, Phaidon
Women in Art by Rachel Ignotofsky – Wren and Rook
Art A Children’s Encyclopedia – DK
8 Books about Artists for Children
Matisse’s Garden by Samantha Friedman – The Museum of Modern Art
Dancing through Fields of Color by Elizabeth Brown – Abrams Books
Drawing on Walls by Matthew Burgess – Enchanted Lion Books
Little People, Big Dreams Frida Kahlo
Little People, Big Dreams Jean-Michel Basquiat – both by by Isabel Sanchez Vegara – Frances Lincoln Children’s Books
Journey on a Cloud by Veronique Massenot – Prestel
Meet Barbara Hepworth by Laura Colin
Meet Georgia O’Keeffe by Marina Munn – both Tate Publishing
Yves Klein Painted Everything Blue and Wasn’t Sorry by Fausto Gilberti – Phaidon
Meet the Artist! Pablo Picasso by Patricia Geis – Princeton Architectural Press
8 Interactive Art books for Children
Draw Paint Print like the Great Artists by Marion Deuchars – Laurence King Publishing Ltd
Meet the Artist, an Art Activity Book series – Andy Warhol, J.M.W Turner, David Hockney, Georgia O’Keeffe, Alberto Giacometti – all Tate Publishing
Art Masterclass with… series – Vincent van Gogh, Gustav Klimt, Claude Monet, Wassily Kandinsky – all Wide Eyed Editions
Just Like Munch by Domenika Lipniewska – Munch
Let’s Make Some Great Art Colours/Patterns/Animals – all by Marion Deuchars – Laurence King Publishing Ltd
365 days of Art by Lorna Scobie – Hardie Grant Books
20 Ways to Draw a Tree by Eloise Renouf – Quarry Books
Tate Kids Modern Art Activity Book by Sharna Jackson – Tate Publishing
8 Story books with art as their theme
The Day The Crayons Quit by Oliver Jeffers – Harper Collins
Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson – Harper Collins Children’s Books
Beautiful Oops by Barney Salzberg – Workman Publishing
The Dot, Ish and Sky Color – all by Peter H Reynolds – Walker Books
Art and Max by David Wiesner – Clarion Books
When Pigasso Met Mootisse by Nina Laden – Chronicle Books
Luna Loves Art by Joseph Coelho and Fiona Lumbers – Andersen Press
Aaron Slater, Illustrator by Andrea Beaty – Abrams Books for Young Readers
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