Non-fiction for Middle School

A beautiful anthology that features twenty-three of the most honored and beloved artists in children’s literature, talking informally to children—sharing secrets about their art and how they began their adventures into illustration. (114 p.)

Explores the scientific studies, experiments, and observations of this world-renowned artist and scientist of the fifteenth century through a review of the writings, notes, and sketches left behind in his vast collection of notebooks. Grade 5-8 (124 p.)

An account of the life of the eccentric ceramics artist traces his youth against a backdrop of the Civil War and political unrest in Biloxi, Mississippi; his creation of thousands of unconventional pots, vases and sculptures; and the remarkable trove discovered after his death that revealed the uniqueness of his talent. Grade 5-8 (Lexile: 1070) (53 p.)

Presents a history of African American visual arts and artists from the days of slavery to the present. (127 p.)

From Emmy Award-winning documentary filmmaker James Robinson comes [an] ... illustrated memoir for middle-grade readers (and adults, too), inspired by the viral, Emmy-nominated short film Whale Eyes. Told through an experimental mix of intimate anecdotes and interactive visuals, this book immerses readers in James's point of view, allowing them to see the world through his disabling eye conditions. Grades 5-8 (Lexile: 880)