Every child starts out as an artist, bringing home drawings and ceramics that wind up occupying pride of place on the family’s refrigerator door or mantelpiece. Of course, not every kid grows up to be an artist, let alone a famous one. Still, however big their interest in art, most children could probably learn something by hearing or reading about the lives of artists. More that just the specifics about a period or certain body of work, such narratives relay the virtues of creativity and sticking to one’s dreams no matter the obstacles—life lessons, in other words, that are worth imparting to any child, regardless of age. Luckily, there are scores of artist biographies aimed at kids, from toddlers to high-schoolers. We’ve assembled a list of 12 scintillating titles about modern and contemporary artists, all of which combine writing and imagery to tell their stories.
9. Fausto Gilberti, Yves Klein Painted Everything Blue and Wasn’t Sorry
A fun, read-out-loud diversion for little kids, this book is part of series produced by the renowned art publishing house Phaidon. Each is titled for a particular artist and the direction they took to earn their acclaim—without apology, as the books make clear. This volume focuses on the midcentury French avant-gardist Yves Klein (1928–1962), who became famous for using a deep shade of aquamarine that he formulated and called International Klein Blue (IKB). The story begins with how Klein was inspired while looking at the sky, then proceeds to detail the many ways the hue figured into his work, not only as his signature pigment but also in performances such as one in 1957 in which he released 1,001 blue balloons into the heavens above Paris. Employing brief stretches of text and quirky, captivating illustrations, Fausto Gilberti tells the story in a way that any child can understand.
Ages 4 to 7.
