Book Finder

Rami sees a floating girl in the art museum where his mother heads the cleaning crew. Could it be connected to the missing painting? Can Rami and classmate Veda solve the mystery before Rami’s mother loses her job? What does Agatha, the turtle in the museum pond, see that others missed? Intrigue, friendship, and art combine in this memorable volume.

Look around … art is everywhere! Art can be everything from the family photograph to the chair in your living room. This exploration encourages readers to discover art from around the world and in their own backyard. “Circles of art” begin with self, expanding out to the cosmos. Thoughtfully presented and attractively formatted, this book can be enjoyed many times over.

Few people realize that the fame of Leonardo da Vinci’s 16th century painting was created in large measure by its theft in the 20th century. The lively narrative alternates between the artist and the search for the missing painting. Sardonic illustrations add humor and interest to this well-documented and fascinating story.

Around the world there are ancient “time capsules” waiting to be rediscovered. They come in the form of “ancient rock paintings, drawings, and etching.” Ancient cave art is presented in dramatic illustrations and an informative text peppered with questions. Extensive back matter concludes this riveting glimpse at human’s ancestors.

Some people collect stamps. Other people collect coins. Carol Otis Hurst’s father collected rocks. Nobody ever thought his obsession would amount to anything. They said, “You’ve got rocks in your head” and “There’s no money in rocks.” But year after year he kept on collecting, trading, displaying, and labeling his rocks. The Depression forced the family to sell their gas station and their house, but his interest in rocks never wavered. And in the end the science museum he had visited so often realized that a person with rocks in his head was just what was needed.

Enzo, often with friends, uses different materials to create art and even visits a museum to see more. Simple language in both English and Spanish are enhanced by gentle, childlike illustrations. In another similarly formatted and sturdy book, Enzo es un enfermero / Enzo Is a Nurse (opens in a new window), Enzo performs the duties of a nurse.

Mary loved rainy days because it was then that she would discover her treasures: fossils. Her life and work unfold in straightforward text and simple illustrations. Backmatter further details her life and what it takes to become a paleontologist. 

A fascinating bilingual picture book biography of Peruvian archaeologist and national icon Julio C. Tello, who unearthed Peru’s ancient cultures and fostered pride in the country’s Indigenous history.

How does an artist make a sculpture or a painting? What tools do they use? What happens to the artwork next? This fun, inside look at the life of an artwork shows the journey of two artists’ work from studio to exhibition. Stopping along the way we meet colorful characters — curators, photographers, shippers, museum visitors, and more.

Have you ever had one thought lead to another one that is seemingly unrelated? Open this unique book and readers will be able to follow trails from one thought to another, all playfully illustrated. Just right for browsing, the factoids contain nuggets to amaze and delight.

What makes a treasure? Simply something that is important to someone. Travel the world and see treasures that are natural, ancient, manmade, and more in this heavily illustrated and thoroughly engaging glimpse at both familiar and more obscure riches. Backmatter includes source notes and a glossary.

Start at the beginning or jump into a topic that interests you! Whichever way you approach this handsome, fresh, and large volume, you will find fascinating information on a range of topics. As its reputation suggests, the venerable Britannica provides trustworthy information from cited authorities all in an engaging package.

Philip Freelon’s dream became reality when his team was commissioned to design the National Museum of African American History and Culture which opened in the nation’s capital in 2016. Beginning with his childhood, this realistically illustrated biography provides an afterword by the architect and additional resources.

Tailors, scientists, toy makers, miniaturists, doctors, and more have collections that relate to their interests. Twelve collections are presented on double-page spreads illustrated by different artists. Lift the flaps to discover what is contained therein. The Musician’s Cabinet contains Edison’s phonograph and a sea dragon wind instrument, for example. On the final spread, the museums in which these wonders are housed is provided.

The story begins before a family with two parents, one child in a stroller, and a lively older boy reach the steps of the museum. The boy acquires a flying toy that leads first to misunderstanding but ultimately friendship. Few words are needed as the detailed, expressive line and wash illustrations convey action and emotion to bring the tale full circle to its satisfying conclusion.

Mr. Penguin longs for adventure with his Kung Fu kicking spider sidekick, Colin. They find it in the Museum of Extraordinary Things many times over. The author/illustrator (opens in a new window) of the “Claude” series has begun a new series with quirky, over-the-top, always comic characters as Mr. Penguin and Colin save the day and the museum, putting the bad guys where they belong.

Joan was not like other girls her age. Rather than parties and such, Joan preferred to visit the Natural History Museum to talk to the curator about reptiles and even her own crocodile. In this fascinating look at an early scientist, readers will meet a unique, perhaps eccentric woman (and her komodo dragon) whose work can be appreciated today.

As an artist lays out tools needed to paint, she seeks inspiration from the masters. Along the way, well-known paintings from the National Gallery of Art are presented grouped by genre. Readers can examine each then read more about them on concluding pages, as the artist does “what [she] really love[s].”

The narrator describes a very different visit to the museum after the class returns to school. Were the Neanderthals really alive; did he truly rearrange the dinosaur; could it all have been a figment of his imagination? Energetic illustrations and understated narration create the comedy in this truly unique and highly inventive adventure.

Four young people come together at the Metropolitan in New York City on the very day that Pearl Harbor is bombed. Their quest involves Arthurian legend, creepy villains, and a bit of magic in this well-paced, riveting narration will be enjoyed by sophisticated listeners.

When a boy and his dog go for a hike, the boy trips on a fossil, and it comes to life, revealing an ancient plant. The boy is so intrigued that he breaks two more fossils that come to life — a dragonfly and a pteranodon. When these prehistoric creatures collide with present reality, the boy must figure out a way to make things go back to normal. Visually told through art, this wordless story will surely spark imagination and creativity.

The history of African Americans is also the history of the United States. How the history and culture of once enslaved people came to sit proudly on the National Mall in the nation’s capital is told in word and image for a riveting portrait of a particular place and a country’s history.

Scientists thought the coelacanth had been extinct for about 65 million years when one was caught off the South African coast in 1938. This is a fascinating examination of “living fossils”, plants or animals that are close to their ancient relatives. Each is presented “then” and “now” in detailed, realistic paintings and readable text. Additional resources conclude this fascinating book.

Tombs, mummies, dinosaurs — budding archaeologists and history buffs ages 9 to 14 are off to new adventures at dig sites around the world. DIG explores the history of the ancient world and its modern branches. Readers look over the shoulders of professional archaeologists working in the field to unearth important finds, and into working laboratories and museums to learn about cutting-edge conservation techniques. Interviews, profiles, articles, and biographies, along with detailed maps and charts, convey the exciting intersection of history and archaeology.