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Topic: Art

draw with rob

Draw With Rob

Non-fiction

At home? Wondering what to do? Join thousands of children around the world and #DrawWithRob – staying at home has never been so much fun!
Winner of the Sainsbury’s Children’s Book Awards ‘Book of the Year 2020!’

DRAW WITH ROB is now an incredible activity book for every family to share, so join Rob and learn to draw your favourite characters – from Penguin Blue to a very Hot Dog, and many more!

The bestselling and award-winning author/illustrator Rob Biddulph is the genius behind the phenomenal, viral sensation that is DRAW WITH ROB – bringing joy to families everywhere with his easy to follow instructions and warm-hearted humour. So whether you’re in home education, home-schooling, learning to draw or just having fun, let Rob show you that anyone can learn to #DrawWithRob!

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Books About Art

Natascha Biebow, author of The Crayon Man: The True Story Of The Invention Of Crayola Crayons, has picked her top five recommended children’s books about the love of art.

Natascha Biebow’s favourite crayon colour is periwinkle blue because it makes her heart sing. She loves to draw and make stuff, just like the inventor of the Crayola crayons. She lives in London, where she writes, edits, coaches and mentors children’s book authors and illustrators at Blue Elephant Storyshaping, and is the long-time Regional Advisor of SCBWI British Isles. In 2018, she was awarded an MBE for her services to children’s writers and illustrators. The Crayon Man: The True Story Of The Invention Of Crayola Crayons, is the winner of the Irma Black Award for Excellence in Children’s Literature, voted for by children, and a NSTA Best STEM book 2020.

The Crayon Man: The True Story Of The Invention Of Crayola Crayons

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Picturebook

Natascha Biebow’s book The Crayon Man: The True Story Of The Invention Of Crayola Crayons is the true story of inventor Edwin Binney, who was so inspired by nature and its vibrant colours that he created one of the world’s most iconic toys – Crayola crayons. Informational pages at the back of the book show how the crayons are manufactured today.

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Tiz And Ott’s Big Draw

Picturebook

Tizz and Ott are drawing themselves an adventure! They doodle, splodge, scribble and zig-zag their way through a scary storm and safely home again. This an ideal book to explore all kinds of mark making with young children. The bright, appealing pictures, created in different mediums – from paint to crayon to coloured pencil – inspire readers to create their own visual stories alongside Tizz and Ott. A step-by-step drawing lesson at the back of the book shows how to draw the characters and make a big mess too!

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The Artist Who Painted A Blue Horse

Picturebook

In this sparse text, Eric Carle empowers every budding artist to find joy in their creations and use their imaginations without the constraints of the ‘right’ colours for objects or other artistic conventions. The young artist in the story is joyful in his creations – a blue horse, a green lion or a purple fox? Why not! Carle’s fictional story is inspired by artist Franz Marc, who painted animals in bright and unusual colours.

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The Usborne First Book Of Art

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Non-fiction

This well-designed, practical book offers hands-on, step-by-step ideas for art children can make at home, inspired by famous paintings and sculptures in a variety of different styles. Themes such as family, animals, faces, stories, places and patterns guide young creatives to look closely at art, ask questions and then create. A fabulous introduction and springboard for discussing and making art with young children!

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The Iridescence Of Birds: A Book About Henri Matisse

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Picturebook

The author and illustrator beautifully capture the story of artist Henri Matisse and explore the question: “Why do painters paint what they do? Do they paint what they see or what they remember?” The story explores Matisse’s boyhood influences through vibrant colours and artwork that evokes the painter he became, inspired by colour and light and movement. This book is a delight to read and pore over and will certainly nurture an appreciation of observation of the everyday world around us as an inspiration for art.

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Luna Loves Art

Luna Loves Art

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Picturebook

This is an absolutely lovely story about a relatable experience (school trip), told with a dash of pizzazz, a sprinkle of empathy and a dollop of awe and wonder.

Luna’s school trip captures all the excitement of wandering through a massive art gallery. While Luna is busy soaking up the masterpieces, she notices her classmate Finn isn’t having such a great time, turning the story into a gentle look at empathy and how our home backgrounds shape how we see the world. Luna and her mum are kind to Finn, which brings joy to all involved.

The textured pages are where the wow factor sits, reminding readers of that delight of encountering worlds of art for the first time. The illustrations tell of the absolute joy of a gallery trip. It introduces names like Van Gogh and Louise Bourgeois without feeling overly educational, making it a great pick for EYFS or KS1 to explore both art and the emotions it can stir.

Simply beautiful.

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