BOOK MARKED
Learning from the Arts
20 Books About Art’s Impact
on Kids and Teens
BY MONTGOMERY COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARIES STAFF: MICHELLE HALBER,
CHILDREN’S LIBRARIAN AT THE DAVIS BRANCH AND MARANDA L. SCHOPPERT,
HEAD OF CHILDREN SERVICES AT THE GERMANTOWN BRANCH
Welcome to September! It’s a new school year, so break the mold,
step outside your comfort zone and dream big. Maybe your child can take
advantage of opportunities to learn or improve skills in music or the arts.

Here is a list of books about kids exploring music, dance and art
while learning about life.

PICTURE BOOKS
“Opposite Abstract”
written and illustrated by Mo Willems
This special book takes abstract art and cre-
ates conversations around the concepts of
line, shapes and color. A read that could also
be of interest to art teachers or therapists.

“Electric Slide and Kai”
by Kelly T. Baptist, illustrated by Dar-
nell Johnson
Kai is the only one in the family who can’t
dance, and now there is a wedding coming
up. Can he finally learn some moves and be
granted a dance nickname like his brothers
and sisters?
“We Will Rock Our Classmates”
written and illustrated by Brian T.

Higgins Penelope the Dinosaur wants to play her
guitar at the school talent show, but dino-
saurs don’t play guitar. With some help, she
realizes her rock and roll dreams!
“Not Quite Snow White”
by Ashley Franklin, illustrated by
Ebony Glenn
On stage, you can be anyone you want to
be, and Tameika wants to be Snow White
more than anything. When she overhears
someone call her “too chubby” and “too
brown,” Tameika doubts herself, but with
a little self-acceptance and a lot of cour-
age, Tameika takes the stage! This feel-good
picture book reminds us that anyone can
be a princess.

“The One and Only Dylan St.

Claire” by Kamen Edwards, illustrated by
Jeffrey Ebbeler
Dylan St. Claire just knows that he is des-
tined to be a star. So, when he is cast as a
squirrel in the school play, it feels like the
end of the world. Instead of pitying him-
self, Dylan is determined to be the best
squirrel the world has ever seen. A bright
28 Washington FAMILY SEPTEMBER 2022
and funny book, sure to inspire everyone’s
inner performer.

EARLY ELEMENTARY
BOOKS “Tap Dance Troubles”
by C.L. Reid, illustrated by Elena
Aiello Emma has been taking tap dance classes and
is really excited for her final performance of
the year. However, due to the noise of the
tapping, her cochlear implant doesn’t pick
up the final notes of the number. Practice
and a friend help her discover a solution.




BOOK MARKED
“The Chance To Fly”
by Ali Stroker
This heartfelt middle-grade novel is about
a girl who loves theater and wants noth-
ing more than to “defy gravity” in her new
town’s local production of “Wicked.” When
her parents worry about her ability to fit in,
it is up to Nat to prove to them that she can
take the stage.

“Clark the Shark and the School
Sing” by Bruce Hale, illustrated by Guy
Francis Clark is excited to discover that everyone
in the class will be singing a song. Trou-
ble comes when he learns that not only
will everyone be singing, but they will also
be dancing! Part of the “I Can Read! Com-
ics” collection.

“Sadiq and the Perfect Play”
by Siman Nuurali
Being in charge can be hard work. When
Sadiq volunteers to be the director of a play,
he thinks he needs do all the work on his
own, and the pressure becomes too much.

With a little help from his big sister and her
school show director, Sadiq soon learns that
help can come in many different forms.

MIDDLE GRADE: FICTION
“Better Nate Than Ever”
by Tim Federle
Middle schooler Nate’s parents are going
away for the night just when Nate wants to
go to an open call audition for a new Broad-
way musical. Can he travel to NYC by bus,
audition and get home before being caught?
“Drum Roll, Please”
by Lisa Jenn Bigelow
After best friends Melly and Olivia are sep-
arated into different groups at music camp,
Melly tries to learn not to hide herself and
her music behind her drum set.

“Violets Are Blue”
by Barbara Dee
Twelve-year-old Wren loves special effects
makeup. She loves creating a new look and
becoming a different version of herself—a
version that doesn’t have a best friend who
hates her and a mom with a serious prob-
lem. A touching, realistic novel about
forgiveness and starting over.

audition for the role of Elphaba in their high
school’s production of “Wicked,” but will the
bullying and prejudice they continue to face
at school stop the show? [This book contains
discussion of suicidal thoughts.]
“You in Five Acts”
by Una LaMarche
Told from the perspective of five friends at
a performing arts school in New York City,
each “act” is filled with friendship, love, loss
and drama. With a cast of diverse characters
capturing the emotional roller coaster that
is teenagerhood, LaMarche has crafted an
intricate, socially-conscious narrative that is
heartbreaking and sure to spark discussion.

MIDDLE GRADE:
NON-FICTION “A is for Audra: Broadway's Lead-
ing Ladies from A to Z”
by John Robert Allman, illustrated by
Peter Emmerich
For kids interested in some of the cur-
rent and legendary female Broadway stars,
this book highlights many of the greatest.

Contains brief descriptions and colorful
illustrations of the actors in some of their
best-known performances.

“Boys Dancing: From School Gym
to Theater Stage”
by George Ancona
Photographs enhance this profile of four
boys who are chosen to be part of a dance
boot camp run by the National Dance Insti-
tute of New Mexico, as they are given the
chance to perform with 500 other students.

“To Dance: A Memoir”
(graphic novel)
by Siena Siegel, illustrated by Mark
Siegel This true story follows Siena Siegel’s love
of dance as it takes her from Puerto Rico
to training with the New York City Ballet
during the time of founder and choreogra-
pher George Balanchine.

"Wink" by Rob Harrell
YOUNG ADULT
Learning to play guitar and discovering new
“Can't Take That Away”
bands provides an escape for Ross as he
handles both treatment for a rare eye cancer by Steven Salvatore
Genderqueer Carey is finally brave enough to
and starting middle school.

“Instructions for Dancing”
by Nicola Yoon
Evie is having a rough senior year. Her par-
ents are divorcing, she discovers her dad
was unfaithful and now when she sees a
couple kiss, she gets a vision of how they
meet AND how their relationship ends! Her
attempts to remove the visions lead her to
La Brea Dance Studio, where she meets a
boy named X and enters a ballroom dance
competition. Can she learn to value love,
even knowing it will end?
“Kingdom of Back”
by Marie Lu
Would you do anything to be remembered
forever? Nannerl Mozart is just as talented,
if not more so, than her younger brother,
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. But, being a girl
in 18th century Europe, she is not allowed
to compose. Nannerl’s dreams are crushed,
until a mysterious stranger from a magi-
cal land offers her a chance... a chance that
might just take more than it gives. T
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