Are you looking for art read alouds? This post shares popular books for kids about art and drawing that elementary teachers often use as read alouds. All of the picture books on this list lend themselves to this topic really well. Take a peek below to learn more about these art read alouds!
5 Art Read Alouds
Below is a list of some of our favorite art read alouds. Check them out below!
1. Ish by Peter H. Reynolds
Ish by Peter H. Reynolds is about how Ramon had always loved drawing. He would draw pictures of anything, anywhere. Then one day, his brother laughed at his picture of a vase. Ramon tried and tried to fix his drawing so it would look like the vase of flowers, but he couldn’t get his drawing to look just right. He notices his sister come into the room and take one of his crumpled up drawings.
Ramon chases Marisol up to her room to find that she has hung up all of his crumpled drawings. He tells her the drawing was supposed to be a vase but he couldn’t get it to look right. Marisol tells Ramon she thinks it looks “vase-ish.” This inspires Ramon to take a second look at all of his drawings. He starts to draw again and feel free as he creates imperfect drawings. Ramon learns that things do not have to be perfect and he can still enjoy activities like writing and drawing.
Check out these Ish lessons and activities to help you plan and deliver highly engaging interactive read aloud lessons!
2. Mixed: A Colorful Story by Arree Chung
Mixed: A Colorful Story by Arree Chung is about how at first there were only three colors: red, blue and yellow. The reds were the loudest, the yellows were the brightest, and blues were the coolest. They all got along until the reds started to say there were the best. This made everyone upset and the three colors started fighting. It was decided that each color would live in different parts of the city.
One day Blue and Yellow become friends. Blue liked how happy he felt with Yellow and the Yellow like how calm Blue made him feel. The two colors mixed, everything started to change. At first the other colors were not happy, they didn’t think colors should mix. Yellow and Blue made an all new color together, green. Everyone was amazed by green and started mixing as well. Soon there was a brand new city full of new colors.
Check out these Mixed: A Colorful Story lessons and activities to help you plan and deliver highly engaging interactive read aloud lessons!
3. The Art Lesson by Tomie Depaola
The Art Lesson by Tomie Depaola is about how Tommy is very excited to go to first grade because he can finally be in an art class! Tommy loves to draw and draw. However, when it is time for art class, the teacher only allows the students to use one piece of paper and the school’s box of crayons. Tommy feels sad about this because he was so excited to use his 64 pack of crayons!
His classroom teacher and art teacher come up with a compromise so that he can work well in the art room, but also be able to use his own crayons.
Check out these The Art Lesson lessons and activities to help you plan and deliver highly engaging interactive read aloud lessons!
4. Rock What Ya Got by Samantha Berger
Rock What Ya Got by Samantha Berger is about how one day a drawing of a girl comes to life and celebrates the artist’s hard work. She boldly shares that she does not want to be erased, and provides self-loving mantras to the illustrator.
As the illustrator changes the hair, the body, and the background, the girl reminds the artist that she rocks and does not have to change anything. Join the fierce girl in a story of confidence, kindness, and resilience that inspires anyone at any age!
Check out these Rock What Ya Got lessons and activities to help you plan and deliver highly engaging interactive read aloud lessons!
5. Aaron Slater, Illustrator by Andrea Beaty
Aaron Slater, Illustrator by Andrea Beaty tells the story about a boy with dyslexia and his struggles to learn to read. When Aaron Slater was a young boy he loved drawing with chalk and listening to stories. He looked forward to the day he learned to read because he dreamed of being an author. However, when Aaron started school he realized learning to read wouldn’t be as easy for him as it was for his friends.
Frustrated, Aaron started second grade still struggling to read. He decided he would never stand out so he tried to blend in. One day his teacher, Miss Lila Greer asked the class to write a story about something true. Aaron struggled to get words down on the page. When it was his turn to read his story, Aaron had a hard time reading the words on the page. Then, he started to tell his story using his words. His story moved his classmates and Miss Lila Greer but Aaron had to hand in a story with no words.
Miss Lila Greer started working with Aaron so he could get better at reading. It wasn’t easy but Aaron got better. Miss Lila Greer even encouraged Aaron’s love of drawing by letting him create the Illustrator’s Garden in the hallway for all to enjoy.
Written in a dyslexia friendly book, this story teaches students about how people learn differently and some of us even experience learning challenges. These challenges may require us to work a little bit harder but make us unique.
Check out these Aaron Slater, Illustrator lessons and activities to help you plan and deliver highly engaging interactive read aloud lessons!
Grab the Free Reading Resources!
In closing, we hope you found this list of art read alouds helpful! They are part of our Starts With a Story collection. If you want to get more book ideas to read aloud to your elementary students, then grab this reading freebie. It includes read aloud books lists, reading logs, and reading challenges for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade classroom teachers. It will have you covered for the entire school year, as well as the summer months! Grab this free elementary reading packet now!
