70 Children’s Books About Famous Artists

What better way to jumpstart a lesson than with an engaging story? Here are 70 children’s books that feature famous artists. Although most are written for grades K-6,  don’t let that stop you from using them in your secondary classroom! Sitting down for story time with older students can be a fun change of pace. Many of these suggestions were brought to you by our wonderful Facebook Fans who commented on a variety of posts about book recommendations. Thank you!

Notes

• As with any media you bring into your classroom, be sure to preview it in its entirety before sitting down to read to your students. Some illustrations or themes may not be appropriate for your classroom.
• For the sake of space, we’ve left out the “Getting to Know the World’s Greatest Artist” books from the list below. To see a full list of artists offered in that wonderful series, click here. In addition, we’ve left out the “Touch the Art” series, which features multiple artists in each book. You can learn more about that series here.

Calder

• Alexander Calder: Meet the Artist by Patricia Geis
• Sandy’s Circus by Tanya Lee Stone
• The Calder Game by Blue Balliet

Cassatt

• Mary Cassatt: Family Pictures by Jane O’Connor
• Quiet Time with Cassatt by Julie Merberg

da Vinci

• Leonardo and the Flying Boy by Laurence Anholt
• Leonardo: Beautiful Dreamer by Robert Byrd

Kahlo

• Frida by Jonah Winter
• Frida Kahlo: The Artist who Painted Herself by Margaret Frith
• Me, Frida by Amy Novesky

Kandinsky

• The Noisy Paintbox by Barb Rosenstock

Klee

• The Cat and the Bird by Géraldine Elschner

Lawrence

• Jacob Lawrence in the City by Susan Goldman Rubin
• Story Painter by John Duggleby

Magritte

• Magritte’s Imagination by Susan Goldman Rubin
• Magritte’s Marvelous Hat by D.B. Johnson

Matisse

• A Magical Day with Matisse by Julie Merberg
• Colorful Dreamer by Marjorie Blain Parker
• Henri Matisse: Meet the Artist by Patricia Geis
• Henri’s Scissors by Jeanette Winter
• Matisse Dance for Joy by Susan Goldman Rubin
• Matisse’s Garden by Samantha Friedman
• Matisse the King of Color by Laurence Anholt
• The Iridescence of Birds by Patricia MacLachlan

Monet

• A Blue Butterfly by Bijou Le Tord
• A Picnic with Monet by Julie Merberg
• Linnea in Monet’s Garden by Christina Björk
• Monet Paints a Day by Julie Danneberg
• The Magical Garden of Claude Monet by Laurence Anholt

O’Keeffe

• Georgia’s Bones by Jen Bryant
• My Name is Georgia by Jeanette Winter
• Through Georgia’s Eyes by Rachel Victoria Rodriguez

Picasso

• Just Behave, Pablo Picasso! by Jonah Winter
• Lumpito and the Painter from Spain by Monica Kulling
• Oooh! Picasso by Mil Niepold and Jeanyves Verdu
• Pablo Picasso: Meet the Artist by Patricia Geis
• Painting with Picasso by Julie Merberg
• Paris in the Spring with Picasso by Joan Yolleck
• Picasso and the Girl with a Ponytail by Laurence Anholt
• Picasso’s Trousers by Nicholas Allan
• The Three Musicians by Veronique Massenot

Van Gogh

• Camille and the Sunflowers by Laurence Anholt
• In the Garden with Van Gogh by Julie Merberg
• Katie and the Starry Night by James Mayhew
• Vincent’s Colors by the Metropolitan Museum of Art
• Vincent van Gogh and the Colors of the Wind by Chiara Lossani
• Vincent van Gogh: Sunflowers and Swirly Stars by Joan Holub
• Visiting Vincent van Gogh by Caroline Breunesse

Warhol

• Andy Warhol’s Colors by Susan Goldman Rubin
• Fabulous: A Portrait of Andy Warhol by Bonnie Christensen
• Uncle Andy’s by James Warhola

Other

• Action Jackson by Jan Greenberg
• Cézanne and the Apple Boy by Laurence Anholt
• Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett
• Counting with Wayne Thiebaud by Susan Goldman Rubin
• Dancing with Degas by Julie Merberg
• Diego by Jonah Winter
• Diego Rivera: His World and Ours by Duncan Tonatiuh
• Dreaming with Rousseau by Julie Merberg
• Klimt and His Cat by Berenice Capatti
• On an Island with Gauguin by Julie Merberg
• The Fantastic Jungles of Henri Rousseau by Michelle Markel
• Sharing with Renoir by Julie Merberg
• Sunday with Seurat by Julie Merberg
• Tar Beach by Faith Ringgold
• The Pot that Juan Built by Nancy Andrews-Goebel

Multiple Artists

• When Pigasso Met Mootisse by Nina Laden
• Katie and the Sunflowers by James Mayhew
• Katie Meets the Impressionists by James Mayhew
• Katie and the Spanish Princess by James Mayhew

Feeling bummed that your budget won’t allow you to purchase these titles? Why not hand this list to your librarian? They are always looking for great books to add to the library shelves. Plus, then you can borrow them whenever you’d like!

What is your favorite artist book to use in your classroom?

Have you found any new favorites lately?