We are continuing our series of storytime themes that go along with the Be Creative @ Your Library summer reading program for 2009. To me, creativity can be many things, especially anything to do with fine arts or the imagination.

This month, we will celebrate Painting and Imagination:

Since the point of most of these stories is to paint whatever you like, just let the kids paint! You can either use watercolors or fingerpaints depending on your storytime set-up. If you are concerned about making a mess, you could always do it outside since this is for a summer storytime.

Beaumont, Karen. I AIN'T GONNA PAINT NO MORE.
Exploding with energy, a little girl paints every space in her house. Told to the tune of Ain't Gonna Rain No More..

Walsh, Ellen Stoll. MOUSE PAINT.
Three white mice find jars of yellow, red, and blue paint. A great lesson on primary and secondary colors, this is also available in Big Book form..

Martin, Bill. BROWN BEAR, BROWN BEAR WHAT DO YOU SEE?
This classic repetition story helps the children learn the names of the colors..

Pinkwater, Manus Daniel. BEAR'S PICTURE.
Two “fine, proper gentleman” tell a bear he cannot paint a picture, but the bear proves them wrong..

Reynolds, Peter. THE DOT.
Vashti is certain she is no good at art, until a kind teacher encourages her. Also available on DVD as an animated film from Weston Woods..

Waddell, Martin. ALICE THE ARTIST.
Alice paints a picture, but friends drop by and tell her to add things, until she decides to do it her own way..

Kitamura, Satoshi. PABLO THE ARTIST.
Pablo would like one of his paintings to be displayed at an art exhibition, so his friends pitch in to make that happen..

Brennan-Nelson, Denise. WILLOW.
In art class, Willow deals with an uptight teacher who doesn't appreciate a picture of blue apples..