Children’s Books by Famous Artists

BIRDS: A groundbreaking study of animals through the rarely seen sketches by legendary artist Pablo Picasso The masterful drawings of Pablo Picasso teach animal recognition to the youngest readers in this artful, read-aloud board book. Birds & Other Animals takes children through Picasso’s series of single-line animal drawings, beginning and ending with various kinds of birds. Pablo Picasso was one of the twentieth century's most influential artists, as well as a co-creator of Cubism. He produced over 50,000 paintings, drawings, engravings, sculptures, and ceramics throughout his life, and his work continues to be among the world's most exhibited and collected. The clever and whimsical charm of Picasso's sketches are accompanied by witty text that can be used to start discussions, through which children will not only broaden their visual definitions of which animals are which, but also grow familiar with fine art.

COLORS: Blue & Other Colors takes children through Henri Matisse’s color palette, one artwork per page, beginning with blue and returning to it as a familiar refrain throughout. The variance of shapes, depth, and scale of the shapes on each page will keep readers engaged, while the text enriches the reading experience with relatable commentary that encourages conversation.

Henri Matisse's innovative use of color has inspired generations of artists. His cutouts – collages made from shapes cut from painted paper in a process he described as ‘painting with scissors’ – have become some of the most admired works of the last century.

Through this groundbreaking book, readers will not only learn their colors, but also grow familiar with fine art.

Each title in this must-own series of artful read-aloud board uses masterpieces by celebrated artists to teach one of the top early-learning concepts for toddlers. Each concept is explored playfully through a curated selection of beautifully reproduced artworks while the accompanying text enriches the experience with witty, conversational commentary and an ‘about the artist’ text. Companion books in this series feature the art of Pablo Picasso, Ellsworth Kelly, Alexander Calder, and Josef Albers.

SHAPES:Squares & Other Shapes uses the vivid artworks of Josef Albers to guide children through a wide range of geometrics, one artwork per page, beginning with squares and returning to them as a familiar refrain throughout. The variations between the vibrant shapes add to the book’s visual richness, and the accompanying text provides a relatable and engaging commentary that will encourage discussion.

Josef Albers was a leading pioneer of 20th-century Modernism, best known for his Homages to the Square paintings, and his publication Interaction of Color. Albers was a teacher, a writer, a painter, a theorist, and, in this groundbreaking book, his influential art is used to teach shapes, one of the most important concepts for young children to learn.

Each title in this must-own series of artful read-aloud board uses masterpieces by celebrated artists to teach one of the top early-learning concepts for toddlers. Each concept is explored playfully through a curated selection of beautifully reproduced artworks while the accompanying text enriches the experience with witty, conversational commentary and an ‘about the artist’ text. Companion books in this series feature the art of Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Ellsworth Kelly, and Alexander Calder.