Teaching Kids Art Through Picture Books

When my kids were little, I was always trying to introduce them to compelling stories that would shape their characters. I wanted to find good books to read with them that would ignite their curiosity and form them into leaders with character. 

Enter the picture book biography. Sometimes these books are overviews of people and what they accomplished; sometimes these are a short story of something interesting about their lives, but always the writing and the illustrations draw a child into meeting someone new they may or may not have encountered before. Reading these books together helps stimulate new thoughts and discussions between you and your kids. After reading about these interesting people, ask your kids:

• Why did the person make the decisions they did?
• When did they have to show perseverance?
• How did growing up the way they did influence their later life?
• How have their lives changed the world?
• What do YOU want to do to change the world?

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