Find Your Creative Element
Courtney's Pick
How to Paint With Acrylics
by Amy Zhing
This introduction to acrylics includes creative prompts to encourage kids to express themselves artistically. Alongside skill-building projects you’ll find lessons on techniques, which can inspire you to create your own artwork!
Kortney's Pick
A Stone Sat Still
by Brendan Wenzel
Discover and explore perspective, nature, and how a seemingly ordinary stone is really a site for infinite possibilities. This title shows a stone can be a home, a kitchen, a throne, a map, a maze, a stage, and much more just by how different animals, insects, and even seasons interact with the stone over time.
Nancy's Pick
The Most Magnificent Idea
by Ashley Spires
I really relate to this little girl struggling to find an idea for a new project. The most satisfying creative process involves not just tools, and materials, but also a problem to solve, and a recipient for the invention. Delightful illustrations show both the frustration and joy of the process.
Randall's Pick
Fine Art Adventures: 36 Creative, Hands-on Projects Inspired by Classic Masterpieces
by Maja Pitamic
Explore classic works of art through a series of hands-on projects. Parents and caregivers will appreciate the clear, step-by-step instructions.
Sandy's Pick
Lines That Wiggle
by Canace Whitman
Everything is made up of lines. The corner of a building is a straight line, hair might take the shape of a curly line, and a smile is just a curved line. This colorful, textured book shows how lines come in all shapes and sizes and are everywhere you look.
Vanessa's Pick
A Fish Called Andromeda
by Cynthia C. Huijgens
This beautifully illustrated book is about a young girl named Zuki, a fish called Andromeda, and the importance of finding hope in moments of disappointment. Zuki's longing for something she can't have will resonate with readers of all ages. We can certainly learn from her determination to not give up to find the pet of her dreams. Check out the links in the back of the book for cool crafting ideas!
Victoria's Pick
How to be a Wildflower: A Field Guide
by Katie Daisy
This field guide is equal parts poetic exercise and equal parts informative handbook. Amidst the whimsical illustrations are excerpts from John Muir and other literary figures, as well as information on places to visit to see natural wonders, names for common flora, and how to purify water and make lavender syrup. It is a beautifully crafted invocation to be imaginative when exploring the natural world.
