Drawing is what Ramon does. It's what makes him happy. But in one split second, all that changes. A single reckless remark by Ramon's older brother, Leon, turns Ramon's carefree sketches into joyless struggles. Luckily for Ramon, his little sister, Marisol, sees the world differently. She opens...  more

Drawing is what Ramon does. It's what makes him happy. But in one split second, all that changes. A single reckless remark by Ramon's older brother, Leon, turns Ramon's carefree sketches into joyless struggles. Luckily for Ramon, his little sister, Marisol, sees the world differently. She opens his eyes to something a lot more valuable that getting things just "right." Combining the spareness of fable with the potency of parable, Peter Reynolds shines a bright beam of light on the need to kindle and tend our creative flames with care in this companion to The Dot.

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...  more

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.

The sky?s no limit as the author-illustrator of The Dot and Ish winds up his Creatrilogy with a whimsical tale about seeing the world a new way. Marisol loves to paint. So when her teacher asks her to help make a mural for the school library, she can?t wait to begin! But how can Marisol make a...  more

The sky?s no limit as the author-illustrator of The Dot and Ish winds up his Creatrilogy with a whimsical tale about seeing the world a new way. Marisol loves to paint. So when her teacher asks her to help make a mural for the school library, she can?t wait to begin! But how can Marisol make a sky without blue paint? After gazing out the bus window and watching from her porch as day turns into night, she closes her eyes and starts to dream. . . . From the award-winning Peter H. Reynolds comes a gentle, playful reminder that if we keep our hearts open and look beyond the expected, creative inspiration will come.

When I see a work of art, something happens in my heart! As a little girl tours and twirls through the halls of the art museum, she finds herself on an exciting adventure. Each piece of art evokes something new inside of her: silliness, curiosity, joy, and ultimately inspiration. When...  more

When I see a work of art, something happens in my heart! As a little girl tours and twirls through the halls of the art museum, she finds herself on an exciting adventure. Each piece of art evokes something new inside of her: silliness, curiosity, joy, and ultimately inspiration. When confronted with an empty white canvas, she is energized to create and express herself—which is the greatest feeling of all. With exuberant illustrations by Peter H. Reynolds, The Museum playfully captures the many emotions experienced through the power of art, and each child’s unique creative process.

In the spirit of Harold and the Purple Crayon, Patrick McDonnells ART introduces children to the imaginative world of art and the endless opportunities it holds. ART is sure to captivate the minds and warm the hearts of children and adults alike and shows the reader how a picture really can be...  more

In the spirit of Harold and the Purple Crayon, Patrick McDonnells ART introduces children to the imaginative world of art and the endless opportunities it holds. ART is sure to captivate the minds and warm the hearts of children and adults alike and shows the reader how a picture really can be worth a thousand words.

Did you know that monsters love to scribble, scribble, mix, dance, and wiggle! Why? Because monsters love to make new colors! Celebrate along with the hilarious monsters in this wild and energetic picture book from author-illustrator Mike Austin. Mixing and discovering color...  more

Did you know that monsters love to scribble, scribble, mix, dance, and wiggle! Why? Because monsters love to make new colors! Celebrate along with the hilarious monsters in this wild and energetic picture book from author-illustrator Mike Austin. Mixing and discovering color has never been so much fun!

Follow the glittery line that runs through this picture book and turns itself into all kinds of things: the waves above an octopus, the veins in a leaf, the wrappings curling around a mummy, and the trapping threads of a spiderweb. Candace Whitman's catchy rhyming text is brought to life by a...  more

Follow the glittery line that runs through this picture book and turns itself into all kinds of things: the waves above an octopus, the veins in a leaf, the wrappings curling around a mummy, and the trapping threads of a spiderweb. Candace Whitman's catchy rhyming text is brought to life by a host of creepy critters from first-time illustrator Steve Wilson.

A perfect square is transformed in this adventure story that will transport you far beyond the four equal sides of this square book.

For years Blue Dog's bold blueness has captivated adults. Now children get to join in the fun when they open this vibrant book, which finally answers the question we've all wondered about since we first met Blue Dog's riveting stare: Why is Blue Dog blue? Blue Dog's creator, George Rodrigue,...  more

For years Blue Dog's bold blueness has captivated adults. Now children get to join in the fun when they open this vibrant book, which finally answers the question we've all wondered about since we first met Blue Dog's riveting stare: Why is Blue Dog blue? Blue Dog's creator, George Rodrigue, takes readers on a playful tour of his unique color world. In it, he combines preposterous puns with all-new whimsical Blue Dog silkscreens to go where other color guides are too yellow-bellied to tread. Readers of all ages will giggle as Blue Dog changes color from red or green to auburn or chartreuse. By the end of the book, they will see that the artist's reasoning is both logical and magical: Blue Dog simply had to be blue.

A dab of blue here, a splash of red there, a goopy smear of green . . . everywhere. To the tune of "It Ain't Gonna Rain No More," one creative kid floods his world with color, painting first the walls, then the ceiling, then HIMSELF! Before this feisty artist is through, he'll have painted his...  more

A dab of blue here, a splash of red there, a goopy smear of green . . . everywhere. To the tune of "It Ain't Gonna Rain No More," one creative kid floods his world with color, painting first the walls, then the ceiling, then HIMSELF! Before this feisty artist is through, he'll have painted his head, back, hands, legs, feet, and . . . Oh no--here comes Mama!Karen Beaumont's zippy text and David Catrow's zany illustrations turn an infamous childhood activity into raucous storytime fun, giving a silly twist to the fine art of self-expression.

Accept Hervé Tullet's irresistible invitation to mix it up in a dazzling adventure of whimsy and wonder. Follow the artist's simple instructions, and suddenly colors appear, mix, splatter, and vanish in a world powered only by the reader's imagination. Tullet?who joins such greats as Eric Carle...  more

Accept Hervé Tullet's irresistible invitation to mix it up in a dazzling adventure of whimsy and wonder. Follow the artist's simple instructions, and suddenly colors appear, mix, splatter, and vanish in a world powered only by the reader's imagination. Tullet?who joins such greats as Eric Carle and Leo Lionni as a master of his craft?sets readers on an extraordinary interactive journey all within the printed page. Tullet prompts plenty of giggles in addition to a profound understanding of colors, and once again displays his unique genius and vision in a work that is a glorious and richly satisfying companion to Press Here.

This delightful book is a colorful reminder of the many things that visual art can be, become, and do. Whether it's weaving or making pottery or working on your computer or turning junk into something unexpected and wonderful, An ABC of What Art Can Be is an invitation to look around and think...  more

This delightful book is a colorful reminder of the many things that visual art can be, become, and do. Whether it's weaving or making pottery or working on your computer or turning junk into something unexpected and wonderful, An ABC of What Art Can Be is an invitation to look around and think creatively-outside the boring box. After all, A is for artist, creator of art, Making all sorts of things with the hands and the heart. The playful rhymes and dazzling collages are reminders that each of us is unique and can produce a work of art that's equally unique. In this lively book readers will find an ABC that's unlike any other. It includes four pages of "fun stuff"--easy-to-do activities inspired by the text and illustrations. Ages four and up.

Max and Arthur are friends who share an interest in painting. Arthur is an accomplished painter; Max is a beginner. Max's first attempt at using a paintbrush sends the two friends on a whirlwind trip through various artistic media, which turn out to have unexpected pitfalls. Although Max is...  more

Max and Arthur are friends who share an interest in painting. Arthur is an accomplished painter; Max is a beginner. Max's first attempt at using a paintbrush sends the two friends on a whirlwind trip through various artistic media, which turn out to have unexpected pitfalls. Although Max is inexperienced, he's courageous -- and a quick learner. His energy and enthusiasm bring the adventure to its triumphant conclusion. Beginners everywhere will take heart.

One day three white mice discover three jars of paint--red, blue, and yellow. Both parents and children alike will appreciate this lighthearted presentation of a lesson in color. “Walsh’s cut-paper collage illustrations have bold colors and just the right simplicity for the...  more

One day three white mice discover three jars of paint--red, blue, and yellow. Both parents and children alike will appreciate this lighthearted presentation of a lesson in color. “Walsh’s cut-paper collage illustrations have bold colors and just the right simplicity for the storyline. A real charmer that’s great fun as well as informative.”--School Library Journal

Warm, vibrant, and amusing, a joyous picture book exploration of the messy and marvelous world of art, encouraging all children to pick up a paint brushWhether one drips, dots, daubs?or carefully dabs?there is a wonderful world of art waiting to be explored, and this exuberant book reassures all...  more

Warm, vibrant, and amusing, a joyous picture book exploration of the messy and marvelous world of art, encouraging all children to pick up a paint brushWhether one drips, dots, daubs?or carefully dabs?there is a wonderful world of art waiting to be explored, and this exuberant book reassures all children that art is for them. Elegantly tipping its hat to famous artists and artistic techniques, it explains to young readers that from exquisitely detailed paintings to crazy kaleidoscopes of color, art is endlessly varied, and essential for everyone. Assuring children that there are no mistakes in art or correct way to make a painting, this book offers them the courage and inspiration to express their creativity. Let's paint!

One late spring morning the American artist Jackson Pollock began work on the canvas that would ultimately come to be known as Number 1, 1950 (Lavender Mist).Award-winning authors Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan use this moment as the departure point for a unique picture book about a great...  more

One late spring morning the American artist Jackson Pollock began work on the canvas that would ultimately come to be known as Number 1, 1950 (Lavender Mist).Award-winning authors Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan use this moment as the departure point for a unique picture book about a great painter and the way in which he worked. Their lyrical text, drawn from Pollock's own comments and those made by members of his immediate circle, is perfectly complemented by vibrant watercolors by Robert Andrew Parker that honor his spirit of the artist without imitating his paintings.A photographic reproduction of the finished painting, a short biography, a bibliography, and a detailed list of notes and sources that are fascinating reading in their own right make this an authoritative as well as beautiful book for readers of all ages.

George was one of those kids. You know, the kind that never stays still. And then one day, the doctor said he was going blind. Did that slow George down? Not for a single second. In fact, he was so fast, he went on to break a world record for blind runners. And now he is breaking more barriers...  more

George was one of those kids. You know, the kind that never stays still. And then one day, the doctor said he was going blind. Did that slow George down? Not for a single second. In fact, he was so fast, he went on to break a world record for blind runners. And now he is breaking more barriers because ironically, George Mendoza, blind painter, paints what he sees. George Mendoza started going blind at age 15 from a degenerative eye disease. It wasn't the sudden onset of blindness that many people experience. George lost his central vision and started seeing things that weren't there--eyes floating in the air, extraordinary colors, objects multiplied and reflected back. George describes this condition as having "kaleidoscope eyes." He triumphed over his blindness by setting the world record in the mile for blind runners, and later competing in both the 1980 and 1984 Olympics for the Disabled. Now a full-time artist, Mendoza's collection of paintings, also titled Colors of the Wind, is a National Smithsonian Affiliates traveling exhibit.

A Lion in Paris is widely regarded as the most accomplished book by multi-award-winning children?s author/illustrator Beatrice Alemagna. It tells the story of a lion who, bored by his rural life in the savanna, seeks excitement and opportunity in the City of Light. Upon arriving in Paris, the...  more

A Lion in Paris is widely regarded as the most accomplished book by multi-award-winning children?s author/illustrator Beatrice Alemagna. It tells the story of a lion who, bored by his rural life in the savanna, seeks excitement and opportunity in the City of Light. Upon arriving in Paris, the lion is disappointed to find that despite his size, people barely pay attention to him, not even when he lets out a ferocious roar on the busy underground Métro. Revealing the sights and sounds of Paris from Montmartre to the Eiffel Tower, this beautifully illustrated book successfully conveys the experience of being a stranger in a new city and the process of understanding one?s own identity. Praise for A Lion in Paris STARRED REVIEW "This oversized book about a bored young lion who visits Paris to find ?a job, love and a future? is worth every bit of paper and ink. The lion atop the Eiffel Tower, mane blowing in the wind, captures the essence of this artful, whimsical delight." ?Kirkus Reviews, starred review "By the time he decides to settle in the City of Lights, readers will be thoroughly charmed by both the lion and his creator." ?Publishers Weekly "Ms. Alemagna's illustrations are made up of drawings, colored cutouts and bits of photography?an increasingly popular approach known as mixed-media collage?and she is playful with perspective. The effect is both mesmerizing and warming as we follow the great beast around the City of Light." ?The Wall Street Journal