By Lauren Martino, Head of Children’s Services at the Brigadier General Charles E. McGee Branch of Montgomery County Public Libraries
Whether it be poetry, performance, design or drawing, art provides an outlet of self-expression for many kids and teens. Learn the many ways art reveals, comforts and inspires in these stories.
Picture Books
“Time To Make Art”
written and illustrated by Jeff Mack
It’s time to make art — but does art have to be perfect? Does it have to be pretty? What if you can only draw stick figures? A young painter asks these questions (and more) of more than 30 artists spanning human history, detailed in the back of the book, and discovers the freedom to get started. This picture book should spark thoughtful conversations with kids about the different ways we create.
“Soul Step”
by Jewell Parker Rhodes and Kelly McWilliams, illustrated by Briana Mukodiri Uchendu
When life gets Mama sad, she “puts on her dancing boots and gets to what she calls ‘steppin.’” Luminous, colorful illustrations follow a girl learning about this African American dance style from a series of her mother’s sorority sisters. A refrain of “STOMP, CLAP, FLIP, FLAP, GO HARD, SNAP BACK!” accents this fun and energetic read-aloud.
“A Rakhi for Rakesh: A Story of Brotherly and Sisterly Love”
by Nadia Salomon, Illustrated by Nabi H. Ali
On good days, a brother and sister play games, make art and ride their scooters. But on a not-so-good day, a favorite drawing gets ripped, a toy submarine gets broken, mean words are thrown and someone gets hurt. Raksha Bandhan, a holiday honoring brothers and sisters, is only days away. Can Aashi put aside her hurt to make her brother a special bracelet? Can Rakesh bring himself to buy his sister a gift? Colorful, lively illustrations featuring authentic sibling dynamics make for a fun and relatable family read-aloud.
Early Elementary
“Yarn Is Everything”
by Aaron Reynolds, illustrated by Peter Brown (Jasper Rabbit’s Creepy Tales Volume 5)
What would you sacrifice to be the best? Your time? Your talent? Yourself? Winona Mole is consumed by her desire to compete and win on the TV reality gameshow “Yarn is Everything,” which challenges contestants to create crochet replicas indistinguishable from the real objects. Helped (or spurred on by?) an ancient crochet hook that may or may not have special powers, Winona loses herself in her art — and, perhaps, becomes one of her own creations. This book is for kids who like books that are “dark, grim, and [more than] slightly silly.”
“The Truth About the Tooth Fairy”
written and illustrated by Leah Cypess (Miriam’s Magical Creature Files Volume 1)
Determined to show her family she is not as gullible as they treat her, Miriam sets out to prove, through records kept in her carefully illustrated journal, that there is no Tooth Fairy. But proving the non-existence of a magical creature turns out to be harder than Miriam anticipated. Her tooth won’t fall out. Then, it’s Shabbat. Then, she must stay awake to catch her parents in the act, but her unicorn pajamas are dirty and she can’t … stay … awake … wait. Who is that tiny lady in the kerchief printed with pictures of teeth? This witty and heavily illustrated early chapter book should appeal to fans of “Dory Fantasmagory” and “Junie B. Jones.”
“The Boy Who Lived in a Shell”
written and illustrated by John Himmelman
Ivo lives in a shell and writes stories on its walls: stories about an old lady who talks nonsense, a boy whose nose grows around the world and taps him on the back, a tooth fairy who leaves teeth and takes pillows and more. The short, simple story-poems accented by black-and-white drawings may appeal to young fans of Shel Silverstein’s absurdist humor who are ready for something to read on their own.
Middle Grade
“All the World’s Your Stage”
by Farah Karim-Cooper, illustrated by Manjit Thapp
Think the plays of William Shakespeare are boring and hard to understand? Think again! This book lays out the life and times of the bard while providing beautifully illustrated, summarized overviews of the plays’ stories and discussing how these works are still relevant and exciting in the modern multicultural world we live in today. This book is good for kids who like to get lost in museum-like books and tales of witches, fairies, star-crossed lovers and vengeful princes.
“Boy 2.0”
by Tracey Baptiste
When Coal gives his new foster family the slip and engages in a little street chalk art to clear his head, he doesn’t expect a neighbor to start shooting at him. He definitely doesn’t expect his skin to blend into his environment, enabling him to escape. As more information emerges about his family history and his abilities, Coal learns to advocate for the right to have a say in his future — and to trust the people in his life who want to stand with him. This book is for fans of books that deal with themes of social justice as well as lovers of stories with superheroes and secret powers.
“Barakah Beats”
by Maleeha Siddiqui
Having learned the Quran by heart, Nimra faces her next challenge: public school. Jenna, allegedly Nimra’s best friend, is embarrassed to acknowledge Nimra around her public school friends. Nimra’s popularity takes off when the eighth grade boy band discovers her chanting her prayers. Suddenly, Nimra is writing songs, singing lead vocals and hiding everything from her parents, whose faith prohibits performing music. Her bandmates are great friends — but when will she get time to draw? Is Nimra just using her bandmates to prove to Jenna that she can fit in? And how can Nimra be herself at home while lying about school? Kids who deal with conflicting values and who struggle to find authentic friendships should see themselves reflected in this story.
Teen
“The Mythmakers: The Remarkable Fellowship of C.S.Lewis & J.R.R. Tolkien”
written and illustrated by John Hendrix
Did you know that the author of “The Chronicles of Narnia” was friends with the author of “The Hobbit” and “Lord of the Rings”? Did you know that none of these books might ever have been written if it weren’t for that friendship? A lion and a wizard narrate this innovative graphic novel tale of a community of writers and how they encouraged and challenged one another, changing the landscape of fantasy forever. Readers who want to delve further into topics like “The Roots of Myth” and the “Origin of the Fairy Tale” can follow the lion and wizard into “portals” by turning to specified pages at the back for a choose-your-own-adventure -style experience.
“Chronically Dolores”
by Maya Van Wagenen
Dolores has been best friend -less since she wet her pants, slipped and got a concussion during a standardized test. Enter autistic Terpsichore, eager to demonstrate social competence adequate for high school, college and, ultimately, a Tony award (for costume design). They strike a deal: Terpsichore and her sense of style will help win Dolores’ best friend Shae back if Dolores will convince Terpsichore’s mother to give up home-schooling. But what if Terpsichore is the friend Dolores has been seeking? And what if life can be beautiful even with a chronic bladder problem? This hilarious and heartbreaking story should resonate with kids who struggle to fit in, have complicated family lives or spend enough time in restrooms to rate and review them on a five-star scale.
“Soundtrack”
by Jason Reynolds
After Stuy delivers his mother an ultimatum — him or her abusive boyfriend — he finds himself sleeping in his Uncle Lucky’s living room in the lower East Side. His drumming talent attracts a series of other musicians, and they find themselves jamming in parks and drawing crowds. All goes well until bass player Alexis has an altercation with Mom’s boyfriend, and they must take their show on the road — or, more accurately, the subway — to avoid the police. Can they earn enough to cut a studio album before their band is broken up? And how can Stuy protect his mother if she won’t protect herself? Music lovers will particularly appreciate the audiobook — it preceded the print book and includes a full cast and original music.
