16 Books About Pablo Picasso

Let’s read books about Pablo Picasso, one of the most influential artists of the 20th century! Picasso brought several innovative styles and boundless creativity to the art world. Now we’re going to jump into a collection of captivating books that introduce young readers to Picasso's life, art, and incredible imagination. We encourage you to use these books to teach kids about Picasso’s bold art, but also see these books as a way to inspire them to discover their own artistic potential!

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A Day with Picasso Prestel

How did one of the world’s greatest artists spend his days? Find out in this book! Kids will get insight into Picasso’s daily routine of painting, sculpting, and creating. They’ll also see a different side of Picasso as they learn more about his wife and his children. His pets make an appearance too! The book also features a few reproductions of Picasso’s child-friendly art. Read this one with elementary kids.

The Boy Who Bit Picasso Antony Penrose

Take a peek into Picasso’s childhood with this book written from the perspective of one of Picasso’s childhood friends named Tony. The book has a child-like feel and gives kids a look at Picasso’s non-traditional youth, his love of animals, and his playful spirit. It’s packed with examples of Picasso’s work as well as photographs that were taken by Tony’s mother, a well-known photographer named Lee Miller. The visuals in this book are sure to captivate young artists. Read it with elementary kids.

Getting to Know the World’s Greatest Artists: Pablo Picasso Mike Venezia

This book takes a light-hearted approach to describing Picasso’s early life, artistic passion, and various artistic styles. Kids will learn about his Blue Period and Rose Period, as well as his work in developing Cubism. Because it’s filled with cartoon-style illustrations, elementary-aged children will find the book non-intimidating and easy to read. You can also check out other books from the Getting to Know the World’s Greatest Artists series. There are nearly 50 artist biographies in this series with a similar light-hearted feel!

The Two Doves: A Children's Book Inspired by Pablo Picasso Géraldine Elschner

This picture book uses a heartfelt story about two doves to convey an important message about peace. Kids will follow along as two doves arrive in a garden where Picasso is painting alongside a group of children. Together, Picasso and the children help the birds fly again so they can spread peace as they fly across the world. The illustrations in this book are incredible and a few of Picasso’s pieces are included too. Read it with upper elementary kids.

Pablo Picasso: Breaking All the Rules True Kelley

This book presents the story of Pablo Picasso’s life as told by a young student, Simon. To start, Simon wants to write his report about Monet, but his brother steals that topic! So, Simon is forced to write his report on Picasso. Turns out, Picasso’s life and work is pretty exciting to Simon! The book is broken into sections so kids will get a clear picture of the inspiration and influences that came about in each phase of Picasso’s life. There are reproductions of Picasso’s work as well as drawings by Simon. The book’s tone is light-hearted, but kids will pick up several details about Picasso. Read this one with elementary kids.

Picasso and the Girl with a Ponytail Laurence Anholt

This storybook is based on the true story of how Picasso and Sylvette David became friends. In 1953, Sylvette was working near Picasso’s studio in the French town of Vallauris. When Picasso saw her, he was drawn to her classical profile and her beautiful ponytail. Sylvette was shy at first, but as Picasso taught her about art and sketched portraits of her, they became friends. Picasso eventually created 40 pieces of art inspired by Sylvette. Read this one with upper elementary kids.

Picasso: Masters of Art Rosalind Ormiston

This elevated book is a great choice for middle school and high school students who are looking for an in-depth study of Picasso. The first section of the book provides a detailed biography of Picasso that teens and adults will enjoy. The second section presents dozens of Picasso’s pieces and commentary on each one. Each reproduction is printed in full color so kids can see the details and experience the beauty of his work.

The Story of Pablo Picasso: A Biography Book for New Readers Ciara O'Neal

This beginner’s biography tells the story of Picasso’s life and work throughout seven chapters. There are illustrations, timelines, and discussion starters included throughout the book to break up the text and make it manageable for elementary readers. Kids will also get a taste of world history and the global events that impacted Picasso’s work. The level of detail in this book is perfect for elementary-aged kids. Children 9 years old and above can tackle this one on their own.

Art That Changed the World: Transformative Art Movements and the Paintings That Inspired Them DK

Pablo Picasso’s career was revolutionary, in part, because he wasn’t afraid to try new styles. He wasn’t alone in this; several other artists in history have had the same bold and inventive attitude! This book picks out 35 artistic styles from history and tells the story of how they came about. It features styles from as far back as cave art and art in ancient Egypt. Modern styles like Impressionism, Cubism, Surrealism, and Pop Art are covered too. There’s a wealth of information in this book and plenty of reproductions. Tweens and teens will enjoy paging through this one on their own.

Who Was Pablo Picasso? True Kelley

Here’s another chapter book that’s ideal for kids in upper elementary. It comes from the best-selling “Who HQ” series and presents Picasso’s life in a straightforward format. Kids will learn about Picasso’s childhood and his revolutionary art career, as well as the struggles he experienced. They’ll also read about Picasso's groundbreaking artistic periods, such as his Blue Period and Cubism, as well as his collaborations with other artistic geniuses like Georges Braque. The book also includes more than 100 black-and-white illustrations to keep kids engaged.

100 Pablo Picassos Duopress Labs

If kids count all of Picasso’s artwork in this book, they’ll end up at 100! It’s a fun and interesting way for children to learn about the artist’s diverse styles and artistic periods. Through this visual journey, readers can witness Picasso's evolution as an artist, from his early Blue and Rose periods to his groundbreaking Cubist and Surrealist works. The book also offers interesting facts and anecdotes about Picasso's life, giving children the opportunity to connect with the artist on a personal level. The book weaves humor throughout the pages, too, which gives even more life to this vibrant book. Read it with elementary children.

If Picasso Painted a Snowman Amy Newbold

This whimsical and imaginative book invites kids into the mind of Pablo Picasso as well as 16 other artists. If a child drew a snowman, it’d look like three circles stacked on top of each other. But Picasso paints a snowman in the style of Cubism! The snowman's body is divided into geometric shapes, with overlapping planes and angles. There are vibrant and contrasting colors too! Continuing through the book, kids will see how Georgia O'Keeffe would paint a snowman in the desert, how Salvador Dali would paint melting snowmen, how Georges Seurat would paint it in the style of Pointillism, and many more! This book is sure to ignite curiosity in kids of all ages!

Pablo Picasso: Meet the Artist Patricia Geis

Introduce children to Picasso through this interactive book with pop-ups, flaps, and cut-outs! The book traces Picasso’s life from his childhood, through all of his stylistic periods, and to the end of his life. Kids will enjoy engaging with the interactive features on each page and seeing the wealth of reproductions. It’s a brief book, but early elementary kids will want to come back to it again and again!

Artists: Their Lives and Works DK History Changers

This book gives kids a look into the lives of 80 well-known artists in history. From Hokusai to Frida Kahlo to Pablo Picasso to artists who are still alive today, the breadth of this book is impressive. It provides children with a high-level overview of art history and information about each artist’s techniques. Plus, there are multiple full-color reproductions on each page. Page through this book together with tweens and teenagers.

Project Collage: 50 Projects to Spark Your Creativity Bev Speight

Explore Picasso’s collage style and create your own collage artwork with the help of this book! This vibrant book features 50 projects with step-by-step instructions. Kids can make layered collages, 3D collages, and more. They’ll also be encouraged to work with a variety of materials like paper, oil pastels, and paint. It’s an imaginative book that will keep middle schoolers and teenagers busy for hours!

Lump: The Dog Who Ate a Picasso David Duncan

This book tells the story of how David Duncan’s dog, named Lump, fell in love with Pablo Picasso. Picasso would go on to feature Lump in several pieces of his art. Kids will enjoy reading about the special relationship between the artist and his beloved dachshund. The book is also full of intriguing black-and-white photographs featuring Picasso. It’s the perfect choice for kids who love art and animals!

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