Books in Junior Library Guild - Arts Selection

Junior Library Guild is a book-subscription service for school and public libraries whose editors pick promising new titles before publication, so a JLG selection is a professional recommendation rather than a prize. The Arts category picks books about visual art, music, dance, and design, mostly picture-book biographies and art-themed stories (e.g., Charles & Ray: Designers at Play, Brown Girls Do Ballet). Best for ages 4-12.

2025

Book Author Award Level Completed
Dragonflies of Glass: The Story of Clara Driscoll and the Tiffany Girls Dragonflies of Glass: The Story of Clara Driscoll and the Tiffany Girls Susan Goldman Rubin Selection Log In To Like
How Sweet the Sound How Sweet the Sound Kwame Alexander Selection Log In To Like
Star and the Maestro: How a Musical Bird Made Melodies with Mozart Star and the Maestro: How a Musical Bird Made Melodies with Mozart Thor Hanson Selection Log In To Like
Brown Girls Do Ballet: Celebrating Diverse Girls Taking Center Stage Brown Girls Do Ballet: Celebrating Diverse Girls Taking Center Stage Takiyah Wallace-McMillian Selection Log In To Like
Lonely Bird's Dream Lonely Bird's Dream Ruth Whiting Selection Log In To Like

2024

Book Author Award Level Completed
Everywhere Beauty Is Harlem Everywhere Beauty Is Harlem Gary Golio Selection Log In To Like
How to Make a Picture Book How to Make a Picture Book Elys Dolan Selection Log In To Like
The Brand-New, Never-Used, Perfect Crayons The Brand-New, Never-Used, Perfect Crayons Leanne Hatch Selection Log In To Like
Nothing: John Cage and 4'33” Nothing: John Cage and 4'33” Nicholas Day Selection Log In To Like
Still Life Still Life C. Alexander London Selection Log In To Like
The Little Books of the Little Brontës The Little Books of the Little Brontës Sara O'Leary Selection Log In To Like
Lonely Bird Lonely Bird Ruth Whiting Selection Log In To Like
Tomfoolery!: Randolph Caldecott and the Rambunctious Coming-Of-Age of Children's Books Tomfoolery!: Randolph Caldecott and the Rambunctious Coming-Of-Age of Children's Books Michelle Markel Selection Log In To Like
On the Tip of a Wave: How Ai Weiwei's Art Is Changing the Tide On the Tip of a Wave: How Ai Weiwei's Art Is Changing the Tide Joanna Ho Selection Log In To Like
The Fastest Drummer: Clap Your Hands for Viola Smith! The Fastest Drummer: Clap Your Hands for Viola Smith! Dean Robbins Selection Log In To Like
Charles & Ray: Designers at Play Charles & Ray: Designers at Play James Yang Selection Log In To Like
What Is Color?: The Global and Sometimes Gross Story of Pigments, Paint, and the Wondrous World of Art What Is Color?: The Global and Sometimes Gross Story of Pigments, Paint, and the Wondrous World of Art Steven Weinberg Selection Log In To Like
The Painter and the President: Gilbert Stuart's Brush with George Washington The Painter and the President: Gilbert Stuart's Brush with George Washington Sarah Albee Selection Log In To Like
Mr. Pei's Perfect Shapes: The Story of Architect I.M. Pei Mr. Pei's Perfect Shapes: The Story of Architect I.M. Pei Julie Leung Selection Log In To Like
Time to Make Art Time to Make Art Jeff Mack Selection Log In To Like
A Garland of Henna A Garland of Henna Varsha Bajaj Selection Log In To Like

2023

Book Author Award Level Completed
Lonely Bird Lonely Bird Ruth Whiting Selection Log In To Like
Just Jerry: How Drawing Shaped My Life Just Jerry: How Drawing Shaped My Life Jerry Pinkney Selection Log In To Like
A Tulip in Winter: A Story about Folk Artist Maud Lewis A Tulip in Winter: A Story about Folk Artist Maud Lewis Kathy Stinson Selection Log In To Like
This Is Tap: Savion Glover Finds His Funk This Is Tap: Savion Glover Finds His Funk Selene Castrovilla Selection Log In To Like
I Can't Draw I Can't Draw Stephen W. Martin Selection Log In To Like
Pitch Perfect and Persistent!: The Musical Debut of Amy Cheney Beach Pitch Perfect and Persistent!: The Musical Debut of Amy Cheney Beach Caitlin Delems Selection Log In To Like
Tomfoolery!: Randolph Caldecott and the Rambunctious Coming-Of-Age of Children's Books Tomfoolery!: Randolph Caldecott and the Rambunctious Coming-Of-Age of Children's Books Michelle Markel Selection Log In To Like
Izzy Paints Izzy Paints Tim Miller Selection Log In To Like
The Girl Who Heard the Music: How One Pianist and 85,000 Bottles and Cans Brought New Hope to an Island The Girl Who Heard the Music: How One Pianist and 85,000 Bottles and Cans Brought New Hope to an Island Marni Fogelson Selection Log In To Like
The Story of the Saxophone The Story of the Saxophone Lesa Cline-Ransome Selection Log In To Like
The Brand-New, Never-Used, Perfect Crayons The Brand-New, Never-Used, Perfect Crayons Leanne Hatch Selection Log In To Like
When Rubin Plays When Rubin Plays Gracey Zhang Selection Log In To Like
How to Write a Poem How to Write a Poem Kwame Alexander Selection Log In To Like

2022

Book Author Award Level Completed
All Eyes on Ozzy! All Eyes on Ozzy! K-Fai Steele Selection Log In To Like
Washed Ashore: Making Art from Ocean Plastic Washed Ashore: Making Art from Ocean Plastic Kelly Crull Selection Log In To Like
Dorothy & Herbert: An Ordinary Couple and Their Extraordinary Collection of Art Dorothy & Herbert: An Ordinary Couple and Their Extraordinary Collection of Art Jackie Azúa Kramer Selection Log In To Like
What Isabella Wanted What Isabella Wanted Candace Fleming Selection Log In To Like
Out of the Shadows: How Lotte Reiniger Made the First Animated Fairytale Movie Out of the Shadows: How Lotte Reiniger Made the First Animated Fairytale Movie Fiona Robinson Selection Log In To Like
Opposites Abstract Opposites Abstract Mo Willems Selection Log In To Like

2021

Book Author Award Level Completed
Just Being Dalí­: The Story of Artist Salvador Dalí Just Being Dalí­: The Story of Artist Salvador Dalí Amy Guglielmo Selection Log In To Like
Shaped by Her Hands: Potter Maria Martinez Shaped by Her Hands: Potter Maria Martinez Anna Harber Freeman Selection Log In To Like
Jump at the Sun: The True Life Tale of Unstoppable Storycatcher Zora Neale Hurston Jump at the Sun: The True Life Tale of Unstoppable Storycatcher Zora Neale Hurston Alicia D. Williams Selection Log In To Like
In One Ear and Out the Other: Antonia Brico and Her Amazingly Musical Life In One Ear and Out the Other: Antonia Brico and Her Amazingly Musical Life Diane Worthey Selection Log In To Like
My Pencil and Me My Pencil and Me Sara Varon Selection Log In To Like

2020

Book Author Award Level Completed
What a Masterpiece! What a Masterpiece! Riccardo Guasco Selection Log In To Like
Cézanne's Parrot Cézanne's Parrot Amy Guglielmo Selection Log In To Like
A Portrait in Poems: The Storied Life of Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas A Portrait in Poems: The Storied Life of Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas Evie Robillard Selection Log In To Like
Two Brothers, Four Hands Two Brothers, Four Hands Jan Greenberg Selection Log In To Like
World of Glass: The Art of Dale Chihuly World of Glass: The Art of Dale Chihuly Jan Greenberg Selection Log In To Like
Playing with Collage Playing with Collage Jeannie Baker Selection Log In To Like
Feed Your Mind: A Story of August Wilson Feed Your Mind: A Story of August Wilson Jen Bryant Selection Log In To Like
Little Frida: A Story of Frida Kahlo Little Frida: A Story of Frida Kahlo Anthony Browne Selection Log In To Like
All the Greys on Greene Street All the Greys on Greene Street Laura Tucker Selection Log In To Like
Birds of a Feather: Bowerbirds and Me Birds of a Feather: Bowerbirds and Me Susan L. Roth Selection Log In To Like
Degas, Painter of Ballerinas Degas, Painter of Ballerinas Susan Goldman Rubin Selection Log In To Like
Itzhak: A Boy Who Loved the Violin Itzhak: A Boy Who Loved the Violin Tracy Newman Selection Log In To Like

2019

Book Author Award Level Completed
The Dam The Dam David Almond Selection Log In To Like
Ode to an Onion: Pablo Neruda & His Muse Ode to an Onion: Pablo Neruda & His Muse Alexandria Giardino Selection Log In To Like
Dancing Through Fields of Color: The Story of Helen Frankenthaler Dancing Through Fields of Color: The Story of Helen Frankenthaler Elizabeth Brown Selection Log In To Like
Bach to the Rescue!!!: How a Rich Dude Who Couldn't Sleep Inspired the Greatest Music Ever Bach to the Rescue!!!: How a Rich Dude Who Couldn't Sleep Inspired the Greatest Music Ever Tom Angleberger Selection Log In To Like
Imagine! Imagine! Raúl Colón Selection Log In To Like
Inside Outside Inside Outside Anne-Margot Ramstein Selection Log In To Like
Comics: Easy as ABC: The Essential Guide to Comics for Kids Comics: Easy as ABC: The Essential Guide to Comics for Kids Ivan Brunetti Selection Log In To Like
Smile: How Young Charlie Chaplin Taught the World to Laugh (and Cry) Smile: How Young Charlie Chaplin Taught the World to Laugh (and Cry) Gary Golio Selection Log In To Like
Hi, I'm Norman: The Story of American Illustrator Norman Rockwell Hi, I'm Norman: The Story of American Illustrator Norman Rockwell Robert Burleigh Selection Log In To Like

2018

Book Author Award Level Completed
Silent Days, Silent Dreams Silent Days, Silent Dreams Allen Say Selection Log In To Like
Drawn Together Drawn Together Minh Lê Selection Log In To Like
Vivid: Poems & Notes about Color Vivid: Poems & Notes about Color Julie Paschkis Selection Log In To Like
The Secret Kingdom: Nek Chand, a Changing India, and a Hidden World of Art The Secret Kingdom: Nek Chand, a Changing India, and a Hidden World of Art Barb Rosenstock Selection Log In To Like
Vincent Can't Sleep: Van Gogh Paints the Night Sky Vincent Can't Sleep: Van Gogh Paints the Night Sky Barb Rosenstock Selection Log In To Like
Bloom: A Story of Fashion Designer Elsa Schiaparelli Bloom: A Story of Fashion Designer Elsa Schiaparelli Kyo Maclear Selection Log In To Like
Picturing America: Thomas Cole and the Birth of American Art Picturing America: Thomas Cole and the Birth of American Art Hudson Talbott Selection Log In To Like
When Paul Met Artie: The Story of Simon & Garfunkel When Paul Met Artie: The Story of Simon & Garfunkel G. Neri Selection Log In To Like
Trailblazer: The Story of Ballerina Raven Wilkinson Trailblazer: The Story of Ballerina Raven Wilkinson Leda Schubert Selection Log In To Like
Lights! Camera! Alice!: The Thrilling True Adventures of the First Woman Filmmaker Lights! Camera! Alice!: The Thrilling True Adventures of the First Woman Filmmaker Mara Rockliff Selection Log In To Like
Born to Swing: Lil Hardin Armstrong's Life in Jazz Born to Swing: Lil Hardin Armstrong's Life in Jazz Mara Rockliff Selection Log In To Like
Walt's Imagination: The Life of Walt Disney Walt's Imagination: The Life of Walt Disney Doreen Rappaport Selection Log In To Like
Rosa's Animals: The Story of Rosa Bonheur and Her Painting Menagerie Rosa's Animals: The Story of Rosa Bonheur and Her Painting Menagerie Maryann Macdonald Selection Log In To Like
When Angels Sing: The Story of Rock Legend Carlos Santana When Angels Sing: The Story of Rock Legend Carlos Santana Michael Mahin Selection Log In To Like

2017

Book Author Award Level Completed
American Gothic: The Life of Grant Wood American Gothic: The Life of Grant Wood Susan Wood Selection Log In To Like
Niko Draws a Feeling Niko Draws a Feeling Bob Raczka Selection Log In To Like
The Book of Mistakes The Book of Mistakes Corinna Luyken Selection Log In To Like
Claymates Claymates Dev Petty Selection Log In To Like
Danza!: Amalia Hernández and el Ballet Folklórico de México Danza!: Amalia Hernández and el Ballet Folklórico de México Duncan Tonatiuh Selection Log In To Like
The Music of Life: Bartolomeo Cristofori & the Invention of the Piano The Music of Life: Bartolomeo Cristofori & the Invention of the Piano Elizabeth Rusch Selection Log In To Like
Waltz of the Snowflakes Waltz of the Snowflakes Elly Mackay Selection Log In To Like
Maya Lin: Artist-Architect of Light and Lines Maya Lin: Artist-Architect of Light and Lines Jeanne Walker Harvey Selection Log In To Like
Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets Kwame Alexander Selection Log In To Like
Muddy: The Story of Blues Legend Muddy Waters Muddy: The Story of Blues Legend Muddy Waters Michael Mahin Selection Log In To Like
Esquivel!: Space-Age Sound Artist Esquivel!: Space-Age Sound Artist Susan Wood Selection Log In To Like
Stand Up and Sing!: Pete Seeger, Folk Music, and the Path to Justice Stand Up and Sing!: Pete Seeger, Folk Music, and the Path to Justice Susanna Reich Selection Log In To Like

2016

Book Author Award Level Completed
Fascinating: The Life of Leonard Nimoy Fascinating: The Life of Leonard Nimoy Richard Michelson Selection Log In To Like
A Child of Books A Child of Books Oliver Jeffers Selection Log In To Like
Dorothea's Eyes: Dorothea Lange Photographs the Truth Dorothea's Eyes: Dorothea Lange Photographs the Truth Barb Rosenstock Selection Log In To Like
The Sleeping Gypsy The Sleeping Gypsy Mordicai Gerstein Selection Log In To Like
Will's Words: How William Shakespeare Changed the Way You Talk Will's Words: How William Shakespeare Changed the Way You Talk Jane Sutcliffe Selection Log In To Like
Mary Cassatt: Extraordinary Impressionist Painter Mary Cassatt: Extraordinary Impressionist Painter Barbara Herkert Selection Log In To Like
The Artist and Me The Artist and Me Shane Peacock Selection Log In To Like
Ada's Violin: The Story of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay Ada's Violin: The Story of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay Susan Hood Selection Log In To Like
My Story, My Dance: Robert Battle's Journey to Alvin Ailey My Story, My Dance: Robert Battle's Journey to Alvin Ailey Lesa Cline-Ransome Selection Log In To Like
Cloth Lullaby: The Woven Life of Louise Bourgeois Cloth Lullaby: The Woven Life of Louise Bourgeois Amy Novesky Selection Log In To Like
The Music in George's Head: George Gershwin Creates Rhapsody in Blue The Music in George's Head: George Gershwin Creates Rhapsody in Blue Suzanne Slade Selection Log In To Like

2015

Book Author Award Level Completed
Ketzel, the Cat Who Composed Ketzel, the Cat Who Composed Lesléa Newman Selection Log In To Like
Poet: The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton Poet: The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton Don Tate Selection Log In To Like
Fab Four Friends: The Boys Who Became the Beatles Fab Four Friends: The Boys Who Became the Beatles Susanna Reich Selection Log In To Like
Swan: The Life and Dance of Anna Pavlova Swan: The Life and Dance of Anna Pavlova Laurel Snyder Selection Log In To Like