Nature Is an Artist
by Jennifer Lavallee (Author) Natalia Colombo (Illustrator)
For kids who love to draw and create, this captivating picture book fosters an appreciation for nature and features craft ideas to inspire young artists.
Kids will be inspired to create:
- Fingerprint bumblebees
- Sculptures made of sand
- Rainbow colored jars
- And more!
Nature is an Artist explores different art forms that kids can find in the natural world. In the book, a group of children follow Nature—the most inspiring of teachers—as they discover the world’s greatest art show hidden in plain sight. As they witness beautiful landscapes, stunning vistas, and unusual creatures, each child is inspired to recreate their own fine work of art.
With charming, rhythmic text from Jennifer Lavalee and vivid, eye-catching illustrations from Natalia Colombo, Nature is an Artist celebrates nature’s beauty and variety, and instills kids with:
- The confidence to see themselves as artists!
- Respect and appreciation for nature. After reading, kids will appreciate the art in their own outdoor surroundings.
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Publishers Weekly
When seeking artistic inspiration--in terms of both medium and subject matter--this picture book's creators suggest that readers look no further than Nature itself: "We can all be artists./ Nature shows us how./ So many styles to choose from--/ let's get started now." Paired with Lavallee's cheery rhyming prose, Colombo's exuberant multitextured art imagines Nature as a green, slightly bushy biomorphic artist with a benevolent facial expression. As Nature works on the world's varied landscapes--painting, sculpting, and etching--doll-like human children with arrayed skin tones happily tag along to learn, translating what they see via their own materials. When Nature paints "hills against the sunrise/ gold and rose and green," the kids finger-paint "thumb-print bees/ and shaggy trees"; when Nature scatters leaves on the ground, they approximate the effect with collage. It's a sweet-natured tribute to both classroom-scaled creativity and the grandeur of the outdoors. Ages 3-8. (May)
Copyright 2022 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.Review quotes
"A sweet-natured tribute to both classroom-scaled creativity and the grandeur of the outdoors."
—Publishers Weekly
A vibrant, cheerful story extolling the ease and joys of artistic adventure....A solid debut suited to early elementary classrooms, outdoor programs, and caregivers seeking approachable craft inspiration."
—Booklist
Written in a poetic format, [Nature is an Artist] celebrates art as a treasure and keepsake and Nature is the mentor and inspiration
—Canadian Review of Materials
Jennifer Lavallee is from the Canadian prairies where she lives with her busy family of five. An avid reader and crafter, Jennifer grew up experiencing all the wonder and beauty of nature, including the soaring Rocky Mountains, curious Alberta Badlands, and lush boreal forests of the north. Nature is an Artist is her first book.
Natalia Colombo is an illustrator and graphic designer whose picture books have been published in multiple languages around the world. Her book, Cerca, was awarded the first International Compostela Prize for Picture Books. She works with colored and black pencils, acrylics, pen, ink, and markers on different types of paper and in digital format. She lives in Buenos Aires.
JUV003000 - Juvenile Fiction | Art & Architecture
JUV029010 - Juvenile Fiction | Nature & the Natural World | Environment
JUV020000 - Juvenile Fiction | Interactive Adventures
Art
Nature stories
Creative activities and seat work
