Picture books are a powerful tool for nurturing children’s creativity while honoring their uninhibited outlook on the world. From cooking family recipes to making music out of the rumble of a garbage truck, this week’s collection of picture books demonstrate that there is no wrong way to embrace your inner artist. Our Pick of the Week, But Art is Awful by Cassey McCreight, follows a young boy begrudgingly visiting the local art museum with his mother. At first, he drags his feet and boldly questions the artists’ legitimacy. But as he continues to critique the artwork, he becomes empowered by his attention to detail, enthusiastically finding aspects of each work that he missed during his previous visit. At the back of the book is a list of art movements cheekily titled, “Stuff I Accidentally Learned at the Art Museum.” With a playful, child-like tone, the list provides historical information and thought-provoking questions about each period, enhancing the story’s message of encouraging children’s innate ability to appreciate, critique, and make art.

Check out this and more art-focused books below:

But Art is Awful Cassy McCreight
Illustrated by Yan Xindi
ABRAMS/Abrams Books for Young Readers
Available now!

The Magic Orchestra Lauren Crisp
Illustrated by Ella Hobbis
Penguin Random House/Tiger Tales
Available now!

Sounds of Trash
Tina Athaide
Illustrated by Neha Rawat
Charlesbridge
Available now!

Yulu’s Linen Cao Wenxuan
Illustrated by Suzy Lee
Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing/Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Available now!

Off the Wall: Making Stuff Together
Molly Idle and Juana Martinez-Neal
Holiday House/Neal Porter Books
Available now!