Add Non-Fiction to Children's Story Hour

Our youngest child was much more interested in learning about the world than reading stories, so we bought and read a lot of non-fiction when he was little. One of my favorite series was "Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists" by Mike Venezia.

The series incorporates artists' works and cartoons into the story. If the artist is influenced by another artist, or friends with a contemporary, their work is often displayed as well. One of the first books I picked up was Edgar Degas. This book, which lists at $6.95 includes 20 works of Degas' and 9 paintings by other artists. Degas was friends with Mary Cassatt and so Venezia also includes 2 paintings by Cassatt.

These images and the text really provide a strong introduction to Degas. The books are engaging for young readers and a quick read for older children. Degas is my favorite painter, so I have included his book first. I will feature other books in this series. These books are probably at your local library. Check it out. (This book was not in the AR system I checked. Other titles in the series had a BL ~5 and awarded .5 points)