It’s been a few weeks since I last posted on our favorite picture books. Last time it was our favorites that make us laugh. This time, I am featuring stories that nurture creative spirits. Notice I didn’t finish the sentence with “in children”?
Have you ever heard this quote by Pablo Picasso? It’s one of those thoughts that has really stuck with me since I heard it.
The fact is, I am not sold on the idea that just some people are creative. I truly believe every one is creative. But I do think that as we grow, creativity needs to be nurtured and protected. Self-doubt and lack of confidence in what we make seems to start creeping in pretty early. Once you peg yourself as “not creative” or “not good enough”, it’s really tough to come back from that.
So with kids, I think it is super important for them to see using their creativity and imagination as a natural extension of who they are, and to not seek perfection through their creations. Perfectionism is the great paralyzer (believe me, I know this very well). Several of these books address that. And by looking at the issue face on, children can start to recognize it and be less afraid of not seeking perfection in their creative work.
Ha! You never knew a list of kid’s book was going to turn into a deep philosophical diatribe, did you?
1. The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt and illustrated by Oliver Jeffers – There’s a slim chance that you have not heard about, already read or own this book. It has become a big hit with good reason. When we first saw this new Oliver Jeffers book at the bookstore a few years ago, we practically sprinted to get our hands on it, and it didn’t disappoint. Notice I said Oliver Jeffers? That is because even though he didn’t write the story, the illustrations are attention getters. This book is a series of complaint letters from each of the crayons in a little boy’s box. They each air their grievances about why he only uses them for coloring this or that. The letters are quite funny, and in the end, the boy breaks them out of their mold to create a masterpiece.
2. The Dot by Peter Reynolds – This is a wonderful story about a boy who feels like he is not “good” at drawing, and a teacher who encourages him to just put what he can out there. Once he starts, each step and inspiration gets a little easier and better. Definitely a good choice for those of us with perfectionist tendencies. This author actually has other great stories for creative souls, “Ish” and “Watercolor the Sky”. They actually sell all three as a trilogy set which would be a good gift for the little artist in your life.
3. Harold and the Purple Crayon – Oldie but a goodie about a little guy who uses his crayon to create imaginary places and to to take him on adventures. It’s hard to believe it has been around for more than 50 years. Just goes to show that good stories and good illustrations are timeless.
4. Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett and illustrated by Jon Klassen – We picked this up on one of our public library runs a couple summers ago and were enchanted by the story. The cover illustration by Jon Klassen, who we love and wrote one of our funny favorites, “I Want My Hat Back”, is what attracted us to the book. But the story definitely reeled us in. It is about a simple girl who finds a box of magical yarn and creates knitted masterpieces for herself and shares her talents with the whole town. A greedy duke plots to steal her magical yarn for himself and when he opens the box, finds it empty. The box finds its way back to the girl who continues knitting with no problem. Such a wonderful way to expose children to the idea that their gift is their gift and cannot be taken away.
5. What Do You Do With An Idea by Kobi Yamada and illustrated by Mae Beson – This is a new book, and I admit my kids have not read it yet. But I have and can’t wait to check it out at the library for them and see what they get out of it. I saw it at the bookstore and it immediately drew me in to read the story. Its the story of a little child who has an idea. As the idea is put down by others, he tries to turn his back on it, but somehow he can’t stop thinking about it. Once he starts to nurture his idea, they become so close. And finally, together they change the world around them. I love the idea of planting this seed in kids’ minds. Pay attention to your thoughts and ideas. They are there for a reason. And don’t let others’ thoughts about your ideas affect your thoughts about it. Good lesson for kids and adults alike.
6. Iggy Peck Architect by Andrea Beaty and illustrated by David Roberts – Another all-time favorite at our house. Our copy is a little rough around the edges we have read it so much! This is the story of a talented boy who has the gift of creating all kinds of structures since he was a baby. It is part of who he is and what brings him alive. Until, one day, his spark is dimmed by a teacher that refuses to allow him to use his gift at school. All of sudden, Iggy’s enthusiasm and energy for going to school is lost. But when a school field trip allows him to use his talents to save the class, his teacher recognizes the importance of allowing creativity back in her classroom. Everything from the cadence of this words, the whimsical illustrations, and the compelling story is SO good. And I would be remiss to not mention the other masterpiece by this duo, Rosie Revere Engineer. I will be including that book on another list, but it could easily have gone on this one too.
If you are on Pinterest, feel free to follow along on my Children’s Books Board for more book ideas for kids.
Pierina
We are all artists believe or not. The problem is that adults have previous ideas of what ART should be or shouldn’t be. The other day I grab some chinese inks, water and paintbrushes and began to make some lines, circles, and then some beautiful emerge out of me without thinking to much. It was Beautiful because it came out of my soul, it was nor perfect as my intellectual mind would have wanted.
Ale Post author
Exactly, Pieri. And you know better than anyone how powerful the mind can be. I am so glad you are painting.
Lucia
Quiero leerlos todos!