Children's books that are meant to look like they are drawn (at least partially) by children are popping up all over this fall. It's as if there were a big sale on crayons and colored pencils! Here are three of our favorites, plus The School of Art, an illuminating book of 40 art lessons in case any budding artists are inspired by this creative explosion.
Written and Drawn by Henrietta by Liniers (Toon Books, $12.95, hardcover, 9781935179900, 64p., ages 6-11, September 29, 2015)
"A box of colored pencils is as close as you can get to owning a piece of the rainbow," says a girl to her cat, Fellini. She proceeds, frame by frame, to illustrate an excellent book called The Monster with Three Heads and Two Hats, and Fellini approves. A charming exploration of the creative process--also released in Spanish--by the Argentine comic artist Liniers.
Lily and Bear by Lisa Stubbs (Paula Wiseman/Simon & Schuster, $17.99, hardcover, 9781481444163, 32p., ages 4-8, September 29, 2015)
Lily loves to draw with crayons, and she draws everything from teapots to pirates. One day, she draws Bear, and they have fantastic adventures together, including tea parties and sailing the "carpet seas" of her home in an imagined pirate ship. Of course, as is only fair in a friendship, sometimes they do Bear things, like picking huckleberries. A sweet picture-book debut about art and imagination, bears and banjos.
The Day the Crayons Came Home by Drew Daywalt, illus. by Oliver Jeffers (Philomel/Penguin, $18.99, hardcover, 9780399172755, 48p., ages 6-8, August 18, 2015)
In this clever companion to The Day the Crayons Quit, Duncan's cast-off crayons send him desperate postcards from around the world, pleading to be rescued from various indignities such as being abandoned poolside on a family vacation (that is Neon Red Crayon, used to draw Dad's sunburn) or melted to Duncan's sock in the dryer, like poor Turquoise Crayon. P.S. Glow in the Dark Crayon is still in the basement from last Halloween.
The School of Art: Learn How to Make Great Art with 40 Simple Lessons by Teal Triggs, illus. by Daniel Frost (Wide Eyed Editions, $19.99, hardcover, 9781847807007, 96p., ages 8-14, August 15, 2015)
Lesson 1: How does a line begin? Lesson 22: How do we draw realistic human proportions? Lesson 27: What is "asymmetry?" Basic design principles for young artists from sculptors to animators are introduced in this lively, instructive, stylishly illustrated primer written by Teal Triggs of London's Royal College of Art. The book is beautiful, and very cleanly designed, which is a good sign. --Karin Snelson, children's and YA editor, Shelf Awareness