In anticipation of an artful surprise tomorrow, tonight I am posting a few of my favorite "artful" books for children. That term comes from Jean of The Artful Parent, of course, and it is she who asked me to share these titles with you. Most of these books are not new; indeed, many are classics--but I hope you will find something that is new to you, something that will spur a trip to the library.
Some of the most-used "how to" art books in our family include Earthways: Simple Environmental Activities for Children, by Carol Petrash; More Mudpies, by Nancy Blakey; the Kids Craft series from STC, which includes weaving, crochet, knitting and embroidery; Montessori Play and Learn, by Lesley Britton; and The Creative Family, by Amanda Blake Soule. We also use garden design books as inspiration, both as a way to consider form, texture and repetition, and as a way to think about environmental art.
Certain authors and illustrators are favorites in our house and influence our approach to art. We love the work of Alice and Martin Provensen, particularly the Maple Hill Farm series and A Visit to William Blake's Inn, which was written by the poet Nancy Willard. Gerda Muller offers detailed seasonal illustrations and a concern for the environment in Around the Oak and The Garden in the City. Lois Ehlert has a wonderful book about growing up in an artistic family, called Hands. Japanese illustrator Iwamura Kazuo created a beautiful series of books, The Family of Fourteen, which recounts the adventures of a mouse family living in the forest. We also love the art in books by Elsa Beskow, Marie-Louise Gay, and Barbara McClintock.
African authors and illustrators are important in our house as well. The bold paintings of Baba Wague Diakite enliven his versions of folk tales such as The Hatseller and the Monkeys. Julia Cairn's paintings pair beautifully with poems by Uzo Unobagha in Off to the Sweet Shores of Africa. Ifeoma Onyefulu has colorful photographs that teach about Nigerian culture--and about composing an image--in her book Chidi Only Likes Blue.
And one final mention: Robert McCloskey, who was of course a pioneer of the modern illustrated book, achieved brilliant harmony between text and image with a nostalgic narrative and vibrant paintings in Time of Wonder. Who else would end a book with the query, "Where do hummingbirds go in a hurricane?" Books--and art--should leave us with interesting questions.
These are just a few of the many, many books we love.
For suggestions on artful books for adults, consult this post, and also consult my sidebar, which I update every few weeks.
