Buy it: Ready to Dream
Ready to Dream (By Donna Jo Napoli and Elena Furrow) – On a trip to Australia, a young girl named Ally meets an artist. Ally is excited to show the artist her own artwork. The artist teaches Ally that sometimes what Ally sees as “mistakes” in her own artwork can be the greatest part . For instance, her picture of a koala keeps curling up, just like a real koala. Ally draws all the animals and nature she sees on her trip and learns she can create art everywhere, sometimes with just sand and rocks.
The book recommendations included on this website are books that my daughter Ally, now age 5, have read and enjoyed together. I recommend the books that stand out to me as excellent children’s books for writing, illustrations, originality, story and characters. Ally and I hope you enjoy them too!
Buy it: Harold and the Purple Crayon
Harold and the Purple Crayon (By Crockett Johnson) – A young boy named Harold decides to go for a walk one night in the moonlight with his purple crayon. But there is no moon and their is no walking path so he draws them with his crayon. The illustrations in this story are simple purple line drawings and show how Harold uses his imagination to move the story along. As he walks, he draws an apple tree, then a dragon, then a sailboat and then a mountain and creates his own adventure.
The book recommendations included on this website are books that my daughter Ally, now age 5, have read and enjoyed together. I recommend the books that stand out to me as excellent children’s books for writing, illustrations, originality, story and characters. Ally and I hope you enjoy them too!
Buy it: Jeremy Draws a Monster
Jeremy Draws a Monster (By Peter McCarty) – Jeremy is a little boy who never goes outside. One day he draws a monster and it comes to life. The monster demands that Jeremy draw him a sandwich because he is hungry. Then he wants him to draw him a comfortable chair and a television. The monster is rude and Jeremy is relieved when the monster decides to leave. But when the monster returns, Jeremy decides to draw him a bus ticket and a suitcase. Then he takes him outside to the bus stop. That’s when the neighborhood kids ask Jeremy is he wants to play with them and he does.
The book recommendations included on this website are books that my daughter Ally, now age 5, have read and enjoyed together. I recommend the books that stand out to me as excellent children’s books for writing, illustrations, originality, story and characters. Ally and I hope you enjoy them too!
Buy it: The Art Lesson
The Art Lesson (By Tomie dePaola) – Tommy wants to be an artist when he grows up so he draws and draws and draws. His cousins in art school tell him not to copy and to practice, practice, practice. Tommy couldn’t wait until he was old enough for art lessons at school. But when the day arrived, Tommy was disappointed to discover that each child would only get one piece of paper and only eight colors to make their picture. Also the art teacher told the students to copy her drawing. But Tommy knows that real artists don’t copy. This is an interesting story about how children are encouraged to copy and follow rules when creating “art” in school so all of their projects turn out the same. But Tommy finds a way to please the teacher and express himself creatively.
The book recommendations included on this website are books that my daughter Ally, now age 5, have read and enjoyed together. I recommend the books that stand out to me as excellent children’s books for writing, illustrations, originality, story and characters. Ally and I hope you enjoy them too!
Buy it: Art
Art (By Patrick McDonnell) – This is the story of a little boy named Art who loves to create art. The pages of the book feature Art’s artwork, including splashes of paint, squiggles, doodles and drawings. Art uses his imagination to express himself and even finds himself inside his creations. In the end, Art’s mother hangs his artwork on the refrigerator because she loves Art and art.
The book recommendations included on this website are books that my daughter Ally, now age 5, have read and enjoyed together. I recommend the books that stand out to me as excellent children’s books for writing, illustrations, originality, story and characters. Ally and I hope you enjoy them too!
Buy it: The Dot
The Dot (By Peter H. Reynolds) – Vashti insists she can’t draw and makes a single dot on her paper in art class. Her teacher asks her to sign it and then frames it and hangs it up. Vashti decides she can do better than that and starts painting dots of all sizes and colors. At the school art show, all of her dot creations are put on display. A boy tells Vashti that he wishes he could draw too. So Vashti asks him to draw a line on a piece of paper. After he does, Vashti asks him to sign it. A great story about the many ways to express yourself artistically.
The book recommendations included on this website are books that my daughter Ally, now age 5, have read and enjoyed together. I recommend the books that stand out to me as excellent children’s books for writing, illustrations, originality, story and characters. Ally and I hope you enjoy them too!
Buy it: Hands Growing Up to be an Artist
Hands Growing Up to be an Artist (By Lois Ehlert) – A girl grows up watching her parents create things with tools, paint, cloth and thread. She helps her mom sew and her dad with his woodworking. Then the girl gets a work table all her own and sets to work making her own creations. The girl dreams of growing up to be an artist. What’s great about the book is the wonderful real photos of everyday objects, such as a paintbox, lace, ribbons, tools and gardening gloves, which can all be used to create art. This is a great book for teaching children that art can be a variety of things, not just something you hang on the wall.
The book recommendations included on this website are books that my daughter Ally, now age 5, have read and enjoyed together. I recommend the books that stand out to me as excellent children’s books for writing, illustrations, originality, story and characters. Ally and I hope you enjoy them too!
