How to Spot an Artist: This Might Get Messy

This cheeky riff on a field guide—“OH, THANK GOODNESS YOU HAVE THIS BOOK. You’ll need it if you want to spot a real artist”—notes that “no two artists are alike. In fact, they come in every size, shape, and color.” As Krysa’s text builds, noting that glue and glitter and hoarded scraps of paper may be signs of artists, it is “INTERRUPTED FOR AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE” to talk about an “art bully”—negative feedback, internal or external—that can only be vanquished by making. Krysa presents a stream of creativity-sparking ideas—“PAINT AN ICE CREAM VOLCANO!”—before revealing that “there is an artist looking at this page RIGHT NOW.” Colorful mixed-media blotches with penciled-in appendages and faces interact with exaggerated typography, encouraging readers to make something of their own. Includes prompts for art projects. Ages 4–8. [em](Sept.) [/em]