• Art by Patrick McDonnell. (2006) Ages 4-8
• Art is an irrepressible artist who draws until he falls asleep amidst his creations. The double entendre will be lost on young children, but the pictures carry this story with their visual energy!
• David's Drawings by Cathryn Falwell. (2001) Ages 3-7
• A story about a shy child making friends while preserving his own creative vision. The child care setting makes this book very relevant to young children.
• Hands by Lois Ehlert. (1997) Ages 2-8
• Photograph and collage illustrations introduce tools used for woodworking, sewing, and gardening. As the narrator helps her parents with these crafts, she validates them as art.
• Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson. (1977) Ages 2-8
• No situation is too difficult for Harold to draw his way out of-or into! Children will want to test their own purple crayons after seeing this classic story unfold.
• I Want to Paint My Bathroom Blue by Ruth Krauss. Pictures by M. Sendak. (1956) Ages 2-6
• Reissued in 2001, this is the story of a boy who lets his imagination rule as he imagines his house the way he would decorate it. Inventive language matches well with simple Sendak pictures.
• Ish by Peter H. Reynolds. (2004) Ages 4 and up
• Ramon's brother casts doubt on his drawing ability, but his sister proves that his "ISH" drawings are even better than exact replicas. Look for Reynolds' previous book, The Dot.
• Lunchtime for a Purple Snake by Harriet Ziefert. Pictures by Todd McKie. (2003) Ages 4-8
• Jessica's grandfather is an artist, and they like to paint together. Like the best art teachers, he patiently guides her without stifling her own creativity. Following his inspiring example, they create the masterpiece that Jessica proudly names with the title of the book.
• My Crayons Talk by Patricia Hubbard. Pictures by G. Brian Karas. (1996) Ages 2-7
• A dozen crayons show their true colors in bouncing, rhyming text.
• Regina's Big Mistake by Marissa Moss. (1990) Ages 4-9
• When told to draw a jungle in art class, Regina experiences feelings of failure and creative insecurity. Everything that can go wrong in an art activity comes into play—copying, teasing, competition—but Regina eventually manages to create a beautiful picture that's all her own.

        You can download the booklist as a pdf.