American Artists Children Should Know

Trying to learn about all American artists might be a bit too much for kids - even for adults. However, art historian Brad Finger has come up with thirteen American artists he thinks children should know about. Two pages are devoted to each artist, providing a brief biography, a description of their art, and why their art is important. You might not recognize all the artists, but after reading this book, you and your child will know why each is included in the list.

• Winslow Horner
• Mary Cassatt
• John Singer Sargent
• Edward Hopper
• Georgia O'Keeffe
• Alexander Calder
• Mark Rothko 
• Joseph Cornell
• Louise Bourgeois
• Jackson Pollock
• Jacob Lawrence
• Andy Warhol
• Jasper Johns

Great American Artists for Kids: Hands-On Art Experiences in the Styles of Great American Masters

This book covers over 75 American artists and helps children develop an appreciation for them through an art activity for each artist. For example, for Hans Hoffman, an abstract expressionist painter, the book offers an activity for kid to create a painting of "Energetic Color Blocks." If you want to see more of what the book has to offer, you can visit the book's Web site. It has a few activities from the book and some that aren't in the book, as well as some links to more information for each of the four chapters:

• Early American Art
• New American Ideas
• American Art Explodes
• American Art Onward

The book includes a brief biography of each author and explanation of the importance of his or her work. There is also an index of art supplies and a glossary of art terms.