I’ve explored a lot of online resources such as YouTube and apps but I wanted to look into more easily accessible options. Specifically, I wanted to look at books that help teach young students how to draw. The books I found aren’t just step-by-step instructions, but also encourage students to embrace their mistakes and express themselves creatively. I have found five great recommendations thats I believe will work well in the classroom
(I’ve included the YouTube link to all the book readings on YouTube as well, but they are all available for purchase in stores and online)
The first book is “Ish” by Peter H. Reynolds. This book focuses on celebrating expressive and imaginative artworks, instead of focusing on making things “perfect”. It’s a great book that helps students overcome their fear of mistakes and just enjoy drawing. It’s a very great book to read to encourage students to embrace their creativity and imperfections.
The next book I found was “Ed Emberley’s Drawing Book of Animals” by Ed Emberley. This is a great book that shows students the step-by-step methods for simple drawings. It teaches students to build complex drawings using simple shapes, making it perfect for young learners who are just starting to draw. It encourages kids creativity, well also helping with learning their shapes and improving their fine motor skills.
Another book I found is “The Dot” by Peter H Reynolds. This is a great story to inspire any reluctant students. It encourages kids to start with just one mark and build on it. Pairing this story with an art activity where we students build on a simple dot could inspire students to continue art in the future.
“Let’s Draw!” by Sachiko Umoto is another good book for students to follow along with. It teaches students how to draw people, animals and plants in a fun and cartoonish way. It breaks down complex images into easy to follow steps that the students are engaged with.
The final book I found is “How to Draw 101 Animals” by Dan Green. It’s a simple book that provides step-by-step instructions on drawing animals. It’s a great book to have in the classroom if any students want to explore with their drawing skills more.
I feel like the step-by-step books are great resources to have lying around the classroom for any students who would like to explore drawing all on their own. Introducing books like “Ish” and “The Dot” as a classroom activity could encourage students to try new art and drawing techniques, which they may have been scared to do before. These are just some of the books out there that I found and there’s so many more to explore! They are definitely great resources to have in your future classrooms and I recommend looking at what else is out there.