Booklists Top 10 Arts Books for Youth: 2010

By: Gillian Engberg
Booklist; November 1, 2010

Dinosaurs in pointe shoes and lizards with paintbrushes rub shoulders with Pablo Picasso and Tupac Shakur in this eclectic list of notable art titles for youth, all of which received starred reviews in Booklist during the past 12 months.

• Art & Max by David Wiesner. Illus. by the author. 2010. Clarion, $17.99 (9780618756636). K–Gr. 3.
  
  In this playful mind-stretcher about two lizards at their easels, multiple-Caldecott winner Wiesner invites viewers to think about art’s fundamentals: line, color, shape, and imaginative freedom.
  
  
• Ballet for Martha: Making Appalachian Spring by Jan Greenberg and Sandra Jordan. Illus. by Brian Floca. 2010. Roaring Brook/Flash Point, $17.99 (9781596433380). Gr. 2–4.
  
  The veteran collaborators behind numerous award-winning arts titles for youth offer a stirring picture-book account of how the classic American ballet Appalachian Spring was made. Nimble ink-and-watercolor artwork illustrates.
  
  
• Bridget's Beret by Tom Lichtenheld. Illus. by the author. 2010. Holt/Christy Ottaviano, $16.99 (9780805087758). K–Gr. 2.
  
  In this clever, spirited picture book, a young girl thinks she’s lost her creative inspiration when her beret goes missing. Spacious cartoon-style art and tips for creating art complete this strong story with easy curricular appeal.
  
  
• Brontorina by James Howe. Illus. by Randy Cecil. 2010. Candlewick, $15.99 (9780763644376). PreS–Gr. 2.
  
  Rejected by Madame Lucille’s Dance Academy, Brontorina the dinosaur continues to pursue her dream of becoming a ballerina, challenging preconceptions about her talent along the way. The sensitive, droll text and oil paintings are well matched.
  
  
• The Django by Levi Pinfold. Illus. by the author. 2010. Candlewick/Templar, $16.99 (9780763647889). K–Gr. 2.
  
  Irresistible, bouncy rhythms and evocative, atmospheric scenes tell a moving story about a Gypsy boy and a musically curious imp.
  
  
• Mimi's Dada Catifesto by Shelley Jackson. Illus. by the author. 2010. Clarion, $17 (9780547126814). Gr. 1–4.
  
  A cat and her human pal introduce the Dada movement in this absurdist, celebratory title illustrated with eye-catching collages inspired by famous artists such as Marcel Duchamp.
  
  
• Paris in the Spring with Picasso by Joan Yolleck. Illus. by Marjorie Priceman. 2010. Random/Schwartz & Wade, $17.99 (9780375837562). K–Gr. 3.
  
  This joyous, sophisticated picture-book romp around early-twentieth-century Paris introduces artistic luminaries, including Gertrude Stein, Pablo Picasso, and Guillaume Apollinaire.
  
  
• Signed, Abiah Rose by Diane Browning. Illus. by the author. 2010. Tricycle, $15.99 (9781582463117). Gr. 1–3.
  
  In this promising picture-book debut, Browning tells the story of a young farm girl determined to become a painter. Handsome folk-art illustrations, a historical note, a further-reading list, and a glossary round out this moving story that underscores the obstacles female artists confronted in early America.
  
  
• Sir Charlie: Chaplin, the Funniest Man in the World by Sid Fleischman. 2010. illus. Greenwillow, $19.99 (9780061896408). Gr. 6–10.
  
  The author’s last published book before his death in March 2010, this thoroughly documented and entertaining biography of comedic giant Charlie Chaplin is infused with whimsical metaphors and energetic charm.
  
  
• Tupac Shakur: Hip-Hop Idol by Carrie Golus. 2010. illus. Lerner/Twenty-First Century, lib. ed., $33.26 (9780761354734). Gr. 6–12.
  
  Part of the informative and eye-catching Lifeline Biographies series, produced in association with USA Today, this biography humanizes one of hip-hop’s biggest stars.