Picture Books                 

dePaola, Tommie. The Art Lesson. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1989

Is a picture book about a boy named Tommy, who loves to draw pictures. Tommy can not wait to start school to learn more about art. Until this day Tommy still draws pictures. I think this book is about the author Tommie dePaola.

Knox, Bob. The Great Art Adventure. New York: Rizzoli Inernational Publications, 1993

The adventure starts when Dave and Jane go to a made up musemum. However, the musemum is filled with real art throughtout history. Dave and Jane imagine themselfs in the art of that time period, as they go through the musemum. I choose this book to show the students that art is what you imagine or make of it. Also the book has real art and descriptions of the work and the time period in which it was in.  
  

Micklethwait, Lucy. I Spy An Alphabet In Art. New York: Greenwillow Books, 1992

This book is a combination of an alphabet book, art book, and a puzzle. See while looking at the famous paintings the reader is to " I spy" something that begins with the specific alphabet. In the back of the book, the author gives you the artists name, the name of the painting, and the hidden alphabet word.

Thomson, Ruth. Get Set ... Go! Drawing. Chicago: Childrens Press, 1994

This book is about drawing, and different techinques one can use. Crayons, pens, pencils, watercolors are just some of the media the book uses. The book also has little activtes in it on how to use the media in different ways. I put this in the picture book section because I thought it was more of a picture book then a informational book. 

dePaola, Tommie. The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons,

Is the legend of how Little Gopher had a dream-vision and found his place in art. He created his vision brush and canvas. Also because he was true to his calling, the gods gave him colors. In the end Little Gopher was known as " He-Who-Brought-the-Sunset-to-the-Earth".
 

Chase, Alice Elizabeth. Looking at Art. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell Company, 1966

Is a chapter book by a Assisntatn Professor of the History of Art at Yale University. She explains what art is, what artists look at in subjects, people, and art in the twentieth century.
 

Gogerty, Clare. Let's Investigate Art. New York: Marshall Cavendish,1995

This is a series of books that contains a lot of information on places, people, stories, conflict, feelings, and imagination in art. Each book contains activity panels, information panels, and look and see panels, to get the reader involved in the books. I believe these would be very useful in the classroom. 

Cole, Alison. Eyewitness Art- Perspective. London: Dorling Kindersley. 1992

Is a visual guide to he theory and techinques from the Renaissance to Pop Art. This book contains information on the paintings, clay art, to brushes and equipment used in art.

Chase, Alice Elizabeth. Famous Artists of the Past. New York: Platt & Mank Pub., 1964

Is a complied book of twenty-seven famous artists. Explains breifly about their lives and their artwork.

Herbert, Janis. Leonardo da Vinci for kids: His Life and Ideas. Illus. 1998 Chicago Review.

This biography of Lenardo da Vinci contains background information on history, art techiques, science, and philosphy. Many of his works are pictured in here as well.

Kinghorn, Harriet, Badman, Jacqueline, Spicer, Lisa Leovs. Let's Meet Famous Artists.

A teacher's guide featuring 19 Famous artists and art activities. Includes things like artist bipgraphies, activty sheets, and evaluation sheets for if you go on a fieldtrip.

Reuther, Barbara McNally, Fogler, Diane Enemark.  Complete Art Curriculum Activites Kit. Parker Publisher's Comp.New Jeresy, 2001

Has 150 easy-to-use Art lessons in exciting creative media for grades 1-8.

Nilsen, Anna. Art Fraud Detective. Spot the difference,solve the crime. New York: Kingfisher, 2000.

This book is an unsolved mystery. The reader must go throw the book and find out which pictures are fake, to detect who stole the real ones. I think this book would be good in group activities, say five to a group with one book. To get their team work skills together, and to learn about art at the same time.

* Have your students each bring in a "how to draw book". Have the students each draw what character or thing is being taught to them from their book. Then have the students show their picture in front of the classroom and mention what their book is.

* OnLine Art Journey  is a webpage about picture books and art. Their are additional links to other art web sites. like ArtSpeak 101.