The best art books for kids do one of three things: they tell the story of a real artist, they teach a child how to look at a painting, or they hand the child a brush. This list has all three, grouped by age, from a Kandinsky picture book for preschoolers to a 300-artwork "museum" for ten-year-olds. One pick is ours, and it is labeled.
Every book below was checked on its publisher's US website on October 30, 2026. Prices are the publisher's list prices; bookstores often sell for less.
Quick list
| Book | Author | Type | Ages | List price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Draw Me a Star | Eric Carle | Picture book | 3–5 | $19.99 hardcover |
| The Noisy Paint Box | Barb Rosenstock, Mary GrandPré | Picture book (Kandinsky) | 4–8 | $18.99 |
| Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos | Monica Brown, John Parra | Picture book (Kahlo) | 4–8 | $19.95 |
| Radiant Child | Javaka Steptoe | Picture book (Basquiat) | 4–8 | $18.99 |
| Linnea in Monet's Garden | Christina Björk, Lena Anderson | Story (Monet) | 4–8 | $16.99 |
| Vincent Can't Sleep | Barb Rosenstock, Mary GrandPré | Story (Van Gogh) | 4–8 | $18.99 |
| Little People, BIG DREAMS: Yayoi Kusama | Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara | Story (Kusama) | Not stated | $15.99 |
| Museme personalized art book (ours) | Museme | Child as the subject of 12 paintings | 3–10 | $49.99 + shipping |
| The Art Book for Children | Ferren Gipson and others | Art survey | 7–12 | $29.95 |
| The Ultimate Art Museum | Ferren Gipson | Art survey | 8–12 | $39.95 |
| 13 Paintings Children Should Know | Angela Wenzel | Looking at art | 8–12 | $14.95 |
| Discovering Women Artists for Children | Jennifer Tarr Coyne | Looking at art | 5–8 | $15.95 |
| Art Lab for Kids | Susan Schwake | 52 projects | Not stated | $22.99 |
| Art Workshops for Children | Hervé Tullet | Workshops to run | 3–10 | $24.95 |
| Art for Kids: Drawing | Kathryn Temple | Drawing course | 8 and up | $12.99 |
| Ed Emberley's Drawing Book of Animals | Ed Emberley | Step-by-step drawing | 7 and up | $9.99 |
Ages are the publisher's, except where the publisher gives none.
Picture books about artists (ages 3–7)
For the youngest readers, the best art books are stories first. A child who has heard how Basquiat drew on everything will look at his paintings differently.
1. Draw Me a Star, Eric Carle
An artist draws a star, then a sun, a tree, a house, flowers, clouds and a rainbow, until the whole world is on the page. It is not about a famous painter; it is about what an artist does, which is exactly where a three-year-old starts. Penguin Random House, ages 3–5, $19.99 in hardcover or $9.99 in paperback.
2. The Noisy Paint Box, Barb Rosenstock and Mary GrandPré
Young Vasily Kandinsky hears colors as sounds, and grows up to become one of the first painters of abstract art. The illustrations make the "noise" visible, which helps children see why a painting does not have to be a picture of something. Knopf, ages 4–8, $18.99.
3. Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos, Monica Brown and John Parra
Frida Kahlo's life told through her pets: monkeys, a parrot, dogs, turkeys, an eagle, a cat and a fawn, and how they turn up in her paintings. It won a 2018 Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor. NorthSouth Books, ages 4–8, $19.95; a Spanish edition is also available. Our guide to Frida Kahlo for kids has six of her paintings to look at together.
4. Radiant Child, Javaka Steptoe
The story of young Jean-Michel Basquiat, who found art everywhere in New York and learned that art does not have to be neat to be beautiful. It won the Caldecott Medal and the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award. Little, Brown, ages 4–8, $18.99; a Spanish edition, El niño radiante, is also available.
Story-style introductions (ages 4–9)
These books follow one artist or one place, with real paintings inside the story.
5. Linnea in Monet's Garden, Christina Björk and Lena Anderson
A girl named Linnea travels to Paris and to Monet's garden at Giverny. Watercolor illustrations sit alongside photographs and reproductions of Monet's paintings, and Impressionism is explained in a child's words. Sourcebooks, 48 pages, $16.99; the publisher lists it for ages 4–8 and also describes it as ideal for 6–12.
6. Vincent Can't Sleep, Barb Rosenstock and Mary GrandPré
Van Gogh walks at night when he cannot sleep, and the starlit skies make their way into paintings like The Starry Night. A good bedtime book that ends with a famous picture to go and find. Knopf, ages 4–8, $18.99.
7. Little People, BIG DREAMS: Yayoi Kusama, Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara and Ryoko Ichikawa
Yayoi Kusama's childhood in Japan, the endless dots she saw, and the dot-covered art that made her famous, with a timeline at the back. The series is a good next step for children who know a few picture books about artists and want more. Frances Lincoln Children's Books, 32 pages, $15.99. The publisher gives no age range; we would suggest about 4–8.
8. Personalized art book, Museme (ours)
From one clear photo, your child becomes the subject of twelve paintings inspired by twelve artists, from Van Gogh and Klimt to Frida Kahlo and Basquiat. Each painting sits beside a page about the artist, with the artist's dates and style and a question for your child by name, so it works as a first art book, and the artists turn up again in the books above. Our guide to famous artists for kids covers the same twelve painters.
It is a 32-page hardcover for ages 3–10. In the US, one copy is $49.99 plus $7.99 shipping. A preview of every page arrives by email within 24 hours of ordering, and nothing is printed until you approve it. See the personalized art book.
Art history and looking at art (ages 5–12)
Older children want more paintings and more to do with them. These books teach a child to look closely, which is the skill that makes a museum visit fun.
9. The Art Book for Children, Ferren Gipson, Amanda Renshaw and Gilda Williams
Sixty artists, from old masters to living artists, each with a full-page picture and a short text that asks the child questions about what they see. Phaidon combined its two earlier volumes into this one revised edition and added contemporary entries. 192 pages, ages 7–12, $29.95.
10. The Ultimate Art Museum, Ferren Gipson
An imaginary museum of more than 300 artworks from prehistory to today, arranged in color-coded wings and galleries, with a fold-out map and floor plans. It is a big book, and a good one to give a child who already loves museums. Phaidon, 232 pages, ages 8–12, $39.95.
11. 13 Paintings Children Should Know, Angela Wenzel
Thirteen famous paintings reproduced large, including the Mona Lisa, a Van Gogh night sky and a Frida Kahlo self-portrait, with short artist biographies, quizzes, games and a timeline. Prestel, 48 pages, ages 8–12, $14.95.
12. Discovering Women Artists for Children, Jennifer Tarr Coyne
Twelve paintings by women artists, including Sofonisba Anguissola, Mary Cassatt, Berthe Morisot, Grandma Moses and Faith Ringgold, each with questions that guide an adult and a child through looking together. It is written for reading side by side, which makes it a good grandparent book. Charlesbridge, 32 pages, ages 5–8, $15.95.
Hands-on art books (ages 3 and up)
These are the books that end up with paint on the pages. Add a set of supplies and they make a complete gift.
13. Art Lab for Kids, Susan Schwake
Fifty-two projects, one for each week of the year, moving from drawing to painting, printmaking, paper collage and mixed media, each tied to a contemporary artist. Projects include crayon scratchboard, salt watercolor landscapes and tissue-paper self-portraits. Quarry Books, 144 pages, $22.99. The publisher gives no age range, only "for budding artists of all ages"; we would suggest about 5–12, with an adult nearby.
14. Art Workshops for Children, Hervé Tullet
Twelve group art workshops from the author of Press Here, with materials lists, step-by-step instructions and photos of real sessions. It is written for the adult running the workshop, not for the child, and needs no art skills. A good pick for a parent, teacher or grandparent who wants to host an art afternoon. Phaidon, 72 pages, ages 3–10, $24.95.
15. Art for Kids: Drawing, Kathryn Temple
A real drawing course, starting with contour drawing and moving through shapes, light, perspective, people, animals and landscapes. It suits a child who wants to draw well, not just draw more. Union Square Kids, 112 pages, ages 8 and up, $12.99.
16. Ed Emberley's Drawing Book of Animals, Ed Emberley
Lions, frogs, mice, birds and dragons, built step by step from simple shapes. It is a good book for a child who says "I can't draw," because every animal starts with something they already can. Little, Brown, 32 pages, ages 7 and up, $9.99.
How to choose an art book by age
Ages 3–5: pick one story. A picture book about one artist, read many times, does more than a survey a child cannot follow yet. Draw Me a Star, The Noisy Paint Box and Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos are good first books.
Ages 5–8: add something to look at together. Books with questions, like Discovering Women Artists for Children, turn reading into a conversation. Pair one with a museum visit and let your child find the painting from the book.
Ages 8–12: go bigger, or go hands-on. The Art Book for Children and The Ultimate Art Museum are books a child can return to for years. A child who would rather make than look will get more from Art Lab for Kids or Art for Kids: Drawing.
Buying as a gift? Pair a story book with a hands-on book, or a book with a small set of good supplies. If you are ordering a personalized book for Christmas, order early: Museme's last day to order for US Christmas delivery is December 8, and our Christmas gift guide has the details. A Museme gift card works if you do not have a photo yet.
Some books here come in and out of stock, so check availability before you order.
FAQ
What is a good art book for a 5-year-old?
A picture book about one artist works best at five. The Noisy Paint Box (Kandinsky), Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos and Radiant Child (Basquiat) are all listed for ages 4–8, and each tells a real artist's story a child can follow.
What are the best art history books for kids?
For ages 7–12, The Art Book for Children covers 60 artists with a full-page picture each, and The Ultimate Art Museum arranges more than 300 artworks like a museum. 13 Paintings Children Should Know is a shorter, cheaper start.
Are there art books for kids about women artists?
Yes. Discovering Women Artists for Children looks at twelve paintings by women, from Sofonisba Anguissola to Faith Ringgold. Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos and Little People, BIG DREAMS: Yayoi Kusama each tell one woman artist's story.
How do I get my child interested in art?
Start with one artist and one painting. Read a story about the artist, find the painting together, then make something in the same spirit. Our guide to famous artists for kids has twelve painters to start with and three simple activities to try at home.