8 Picture Books That Will Spark Creativity in Little Readers

What Do You Do With an Idea?, by Kobi Yamada, Mae Besom (Illustrator)
This picture book starts fairly simply: there is a child, a child with a very special idea. An idea that grows as the child’s confidence grows . . . until something amazing happens. Both unique and touching, What Do You Do With An Idea will spark creativity in young readers by teaching them  that no idea is too difficult, strange, or different and that all ideas should be given space to grow.

Crafty Llama, by Mike Kerr, Renata Liwska (Illustrator)
Llama just wants to make nice, special things for her friends. She knows that by knitting special items and giving them to her other animal friends, it will make them happy, which will make her happy. Along the way, Llama’s other friends join her in making special crafts and soon everyone is crafting, everyone that is except Beaver. He just can’t understand what is so special about making an item that isn’t useful. Can Llama convince Beaver that makings things for fun is actually useful? Author Mike Kerr and New York Times bestselling illustrator Renata Liwska’s have crafted a whimsical and sweet story in Crafty Llama that will delight young readers.

Kids Cooking: Students Prepare and Eat Foods from Around the World, by George Ancona ; photographed by George Ancona
From savory Moroccan vegetables to spicy Mexican salsa and tamales, Kids Cooking  showcases delicious dishes made by young student in Santa Fe schools, in collaboration with the nonprofit organization Cooking with Kids. Students learn to mix, measure, and even chop ingredients as they create dishes that represent culinary traditions from all over the world. With beautifully shot photos of students engaging in cooking a variety of multicultural dishes, this is a vibrant and engaging way to get young readers interested in cooking. Bonus points for the simple explanations of different cultural phrases that little cooks can use to describe their culinary creations, such as “Chi fàn luo” (“Good eating” in Chinese) and “Buen provecho” (“Have a good meal” in Spanish).

Dad’s Camera, by Ross Watkins, Liz Anelli (Illustrator)
Using collage, watercolors, and digital coloring, Dad’s Camera introduces readers to a young boy, his Mom and Dad, and Dad’s camera.  Dad has brought home a new camera but for some reason, he doesn’t take pictures of the family, just of regular everyday objects.  His son can’t figure out why and it is upsetting to him, but it isn’t until after his father’s death that he realizes his dad took those photos of regular items to help Mom and son remember life with Dad on an everyday basis. Poignant and sweet, Dad’s Camera is a beautiful story that deals with illness and loss in a way that is both touching and appropriate for young readers.

A Squiggly Story, by Andrew Larsen, Mike Lowery (Illustrator)
Using story panels and dialogue bubbles that add visual excitement to this delightful tale,  A Squiggly Story tells the story of a young boy who wants to be like his big sister and write a story. The only problem? He doesn’t know how to write words, just letters.  He is frustrated and upset but big sister tells him,  just start with one letter.  Taking inspiration from his big sister’s advice, he writes one letter . . . and than another. . . and soon his story starts to grow! Award-winning author Andrew Larsen bring young readers a delightful tale of perseverance and creativity.

Beautiful Oops!, by Barney Saltzberg
Life is filled with mistakes but  as Barney Slatzberg’s award winning picture book Beautiful Oops shows us, mistakes are just opportunities for creativity and discovery. Accidentally dripped paint on to your clean white paper? Instead of getting angry, turn that drip into artwork. Stuffed to the brim with tears, lift up flaps, holes, bends, smudges and pop-ups, Beautiful Oops is a a treasure trove of fun “mistakes” that will fascinate young readers while helping to teach them that mistakes can be learning opportunities.

The Most Magnificent Thing, by Ashley Spires
There once was a little girl who had a dog and a really really great idea. She was going to make the most MAGNIFICENT thing! It would be perfect and all she had to do was make it.  But making something MAGNIFICENT turns out to be harder than expected, and the more the little girl tries, the more she fails.  So the little girl gets really angry and she quits. But her little dog convinces her that take a short break and try again. And to her surprise it works, our protagonist takes a walk and when she works on her idea this time, she gets it just right! Quirky and funny, The Most Magnificent Thing is a fun and encouraging book that will inspire young readers to persist, even in the face of adversity.

Iggy Peck, Architect, by Andrea Beaty, David Roberts (Illustrator)
Filled with gorgeous watercolor imagery and funny structured rhymes, the New York Times bestselling picture book, Iggy Peck, Architect is an inspiring tale that will help young readers learn about the power of exploring your talent and being true to yourself. Iggy Peck loves building tings. In fact, you could say he has a real talent for it. But no one impressed by this skill, not even his second-grade teacher, Miss Greer.  Iggy begins to doubt that his talent matters and worry that he should start to focus on other things . . . but when his class takes a field trip where a bridge collapses only Iggy’s talent for building can save the day.