Teaching Elementary Art: 10 Must-Have Picture Books That Will Elevate Your Art Lessons

Inside: Ten read alouds for teaching elementary art

I LOVE art! You can give me art in any form, and I will cherish every second of it. It's so interesting how the mindset about art has shifted over the years. When I was an elementary school student, I remember viewing art as a reward or a recreational activity only to be completed when all of the "important" work was finished. Art is fun, but we would be doing our students a disservice if we present it that way. Integrating art into our core curriculum is beneficial in many ways, such as engagement, increased understanding, and fewer behavioral issues. Check out this article about a school in Maryland that revamped their lessons by intentionally expanding the amount of art they utilized as a learning tool. Utilizing art elements has consistently increased engagement in my classroom.

Even though I’ve always loved art and knew the value of incorporating art into my classroom, I was NOT prepared to by my students’ ONLY art teacher. That’s right, my school didn’t have an art teacher at the elementary level. I won’t get into how much this makes my heart hurt, but this is the reality in a lot of schools.

For my first few years in first grade, I relied on directed drawings and crafts to get me through “art time.” Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing inherently bad about those things, but I wasn’t teaching art concepts, I wasn’t exposing my kids to famous artists or techniques, and I wasn’t devoting time to letting them explore and create with different media.

I spent a lot of time reflecting on how I could better my practice, and it wasn’t until I left the classroom that I was able to devote time to creating the lessons that I wished I’d had access to as a teacher. And so, Bite-Size Art was born. Each seasonal art lesson is paired with a no-print, ready-to-teach lesson focused on a foundational art concept. Keep scrolling to take a look inside at some of the lessons.

Now, let’s get back to the reason you’re here! The books below are some of my favorite read alouds for teaching art at the elementary level. Some of the books teach about specific artists, while others touch on the freedom that comes with completing creative projects. The common theme across all ten selections is that art is fun and an endeavor that takes perseverance and deserves respect.

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This Little Artist

This Little Artist takes the reader through the lives of various artists such as Van Gogh, Michael Angelo, and Picasso. The story features short rhyming passages about each artist, their life, and shows pictures of some of their most famous pieces. I like this as an easy introduction to artists that are recognized and widespread across many cultures and time periods. Additionally, the author did an excellent job of including diverse artists, so all students will see themselves reflected.

The Story of Paintings

The Story of Paintings is a terrific option for taking a deep dive into a single piece of artwork. It shows examples of work from well-known artists like Picasso, Van Gogh, and Dali. Each artwork is given a two-page spread, explaining the history behind the work. The author did a fabulous job of finding ways to make students slow down and process the art instead of just looking at it once and moving on. That is not an innate skill, so I love that this gives them the questions to ask themselves.

Yayoi Kusama Covered Everything in Dots and Wasn’t Sorry

This whimsical book is an inspiration to any reader with big aspirations. It is the true story of the life of the artist, Yayoi Kusama, and her quest to find professional success as an artist. Some kids are more drawn to instant gratification than the journey of hard work, but stories like this display just how much perseverance can pay off. This story also highlights all of Kusama's eccentric artwork, which the kids will undoubtedly find humorous. It is crucial for students to recognize that being an adult doesn't mean giving up their creativity and imagination. It is valuable at every stage of life!

In the art lesson below, your students will learn about warm colors and pointillism (creating an image with dots). Yayoi Kusama is featured in this lesson as the fantastic dot-artist that she is! Check out the lesson by clicking any of the images below.

Beautiful Oops

This book has made two appearances in my blog posts, I love it that much! You can also find featured on my list of books for teaching growth mindset. This book celebrates "mistakes" in art! Things such as spilled paint, bent paper, smudges, smears, and holes don't have to ruin an art project-- it can enhance it! I was the type of child who would throw away my piece of paper in frustration if I made one mark that I hadn't envisioned when part of the artistic process lets the creativity drive your project! Your students will love this read-aloud. It is full of foldouts, optical illusions, and overall is very interactive. It is a must-read!

Pocket Full of Colors

As a self-proclaimed “Disney Adult” I couldn’t smash the “Add to Cart” button fast enough on this one. I didn’t know that it would quickly become a favorite read aloud. This beautifully illustrated story is about Mary Blair, the artist behind the “It’s a Small World” ride at Disneyland and Disney World. It follows Mary from her childhood all the way through to her position at Disney, and shows her collecting colors along the way. She travels the world, collecting colors, that she eventually uses to create one of the most famous theme park attractions in the world. You’re going to love this one!

Frida Khalo: A Kid’s Book About Expressing Yourself

Frida Kahlo is a perfect example of overcoming adversity and using it to one's advantage. She had polio as a child, which resulted in a limp and falling behind her peers in school. Kahlo eventually recovered and dreamed of becoming a doctor. Unfortunately, she was in a bus accident that made it impossible. She was stuck in bed for a significant length of time, and her family hung a mirror on her ceiling. Frida started to paint, mainly portraits of herself, because she looked at herself all day long. Not only did her work begin to gain attention, but she also broke art records! This story would go well with many social-emotional lessons as Frida Kahlo could have taught a masterclass on turning lemons into lemonade.

Henri’s Scissors

Henri loved art from the time he was a small child watching his mother paint china. He decided to make a logical choice and become a lawyer. Eventually, Henri realized he denied himself of living his dream, and he moved to Paris to become an artist. He grew older and became ill. He couldn't do much anymore, so he started cutting paper into all sorts of shapes and designs. He described it as "drawing with his scissors." Henri's new hobby revitalized him, and while he couldn't go outside to a natural garden anymore, he created a paper garden for himself using his scissors. This story touched me because it shows that artists don't just create as a way to make a living. They do it even in their darkest, most desperate times to provide relief for themselves. I use this as a book to introduce students to art therapy to explain that while art is so fun to create and absorb, it also helps people daily.

Want to teach your students about Henri Matisse? Download this FREE lesson & project by completing the form below.

Sophie’s Masterpiece

Sophie is a spider that spins the most beautiful webs. When she's old enough to live independently, she moves into a boarding house and begins spinning her webs there. Sadly, every time one of the tenants sees her, they are terrified, and Sophie has to move to the next room. No one appreciates her beautiful work the way she wishes they would. However, Sophie journeys on in pursuit of creating a masterpiece. This story reminds us to persevere even if some people don't appreciate our art. The most important part is that it brings you joy and fulfillment.

Uncle Andy’s

Uncle Andy's is a unique story that educates the reader about famous artist Andy Warhol while also telling the charming story of a family visiting their family member in New York City. Their Uncle Andy puts them to work helping with his art projects, which they all love. The book sneaks in fun facts about Warhol, like that he always wore wigs, loved cats, and his genre was called Pop Art. This is an entertaining read-aloud. Sometimes famous artists don't seem real, so the format of this book humanizes Warhol.

Your students are going to love this art lesson all about the Pop Art movement. They’ll learn about Andy Warhol, but they’ll also learn about present-day pop artists who create with many different media. This lesson includes a teacher guide and a step-by-step that will allow even the youngest learners to create their very own Pop Art.

Ella in the Garden of Giverny

This story explains impressionism and Monet's life in an intriguing way, rather than just presenting facts. The premise is that Ella wanders into Monet's garden, and while she is drawing, he teaches us about his life and work. The illustrations are dreamlike and whimsical, just like his impressionist artwork. Your students will learn a lot and will undoubtedly be inspired to try out impressionism themselves!

Your students will love this art lesson about Impressionism and it’s journey from being harshly criticized as an “impression” of real art, to the way we view these artworks today. They will learn about great impressionist artists like Monet and Cassat, and then use what they have learned to create their very own artwork.

I Can Only Draw Worms

I LOVE this book. The narrator explains how he can only draw worms. You get to meet all sorts of worms (who essentially look identical) and learn how they all have unique backstories. It is incredibly humorous and delightful. This book shows kids that might not be the most artistically inclined to use their imagination still and have a great time creating art that they love.