Our middle grade book spotlight this week is on books that feature books with artistic characters!!! When I think about being artistic, it is more than just painting and drawing and we have titles that feature not just those but photography, movie making, and collages to just name a few!! Maybe some of these books will inspire you to explore your inner artist as well; we have an amazing offering of realistic, mystery, and even nonfiction so there is something for everyone. These books and more can be found by searching the catalog using the search tag #youthartists as well as on Libby and Hoopla. Check back next week for a new middle grade book spotlight and if you have any book suggestions, please let us know!!
Many Points of Me by Caroline Gertler--Georgia is still mourning the loss of her famous artist father. Nothing seems right these days, not her art and not her best friend Theo. When Georgia discovers pencil marks on the back of one of her dad's paintings, she knows she's discovered his sketch for the painting he was supposed to do next--one of Georgia herself. As Georgia digs deeper into the mystery of the sketch, she hopes that she will find a way back to normal again.
The Space Between Lost and Found by Sandy Stark-McGinnis--Cassie's life changes dramatically when her mother is diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Cassie and her mom were going to check off everything on their think-big bucket list, but now her mom can't go to work, gets lost easily, and has even forgotten Cassie's name. So, Cassie sets off on an adventure to fulfill her mother's dream of swimming with dolphins.
A Place at the Table by Saadia Faruqi--Eleven-year-olds Elizabeth and Sara meet at a South Asian cooking class that Sara's mother is teaching. Elizabeth, who is white and Jewish, and Sara, who is Pakistani-American, both have different reasons for being there and don't have much in common, until they make plans to create a fusion dish to help them win a spot on a local food show. In spite of their collaborations, cultural differences and family issues threaten their budding friendship.
A History of Pictures for Children by David Hockney--Teaches young readers about art history from cave painting to video games. Explains the importance of art to the human experience, explores how each medium is created, and describes artistic invention that pushed the evolution of art from primitive tools to computer code.
Fine Art Adventures by Maja Pitamic--Offers thirty-six art projects for young people that are based on techniques and themes of classic masterpieces. Includes step-by-step instructions and representations of the famous art work.
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg--Having run away with her younger brother to live in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, twelve-year-old Claudia strives to keep things in order in their new home and to become a changed person and a heroine to herself.