Age rating and parents' guide:Art & Max
by David Wiesner
Ages 6–8
Art & Max by David Wiesner is best for children aged 6–8. It has no violence, nothing scary, no romance and no bad language.
Arthur is an experienced lizard painter working quietly on a canvas when eager young lizard Max bursts in, desperate to paint too. Encouraged to paint Arthur, Max takes the instruction a bit too literally, unleashing an inventive and wildly chaotic chain of artistic transformations. The lizards unravel, crack, dissolve, and reassemble using different artistic mediums and techniques. It is a visually hilarious, creative adventure that delights children with its slapstick physical comedy and playful look at how art is made.
Content ratings
How much of each a parent can expect, from none to strong.
- Violence
- None
- Scary moments
- None
- Romance
- None
- Bad language
- None
Content checked by Dhiraj Bodade, co-founder of Bookstaken, on .
At a glance
- Picture book
- Easy to get into from the first page
- Plenty of illustrations
- Emotionally light
- A good pick for reluctant readers
Great for kids who like
- Art & drawing
- Friendship
Reading mood
- Warm & gentle
Good to talk about
- Friendship
- Creativity & writing
Books like Art & Max
Similar stories for the same ages, none more intense than this one should be for its youngest readers.
Ages 6–8
The Name Jar
by Yangsook Choi
Having just moved from Korea to America, young Unhei is nervous that no one at her new school will be able to pronounce her name. Instead of introducing herself, she tells her class she will choose an American name by the end of the week. Her supportive classmates try to help by filling a glass jar with suggestions. This gentle, heartfelt picture book explores identity, belonging, and cultural pride, encouraging children to celebrate who they are and learn about one another.
Ages 6–8
The Day the Crayons Quit
by Drew Daywalt
When Duncan opens his crayon box, he finds a stack of letters instead. Each crayon has a humorous grievance: Blue is worn down from coloring endless oceans, Red needs a break from fire engines, Peach is embarrassed to be peeled, and Yellow and Orange aren't speaking over who is the true color of the sun. Told entirely through these colorful notes and playful artwork, this story entertains young readers while offering a clever look at creativity, feelings, and seeing things from different perspectives.
Ages 6–8
Enemy Pie
by Derek Munson
Summer is ruined when Jeremy Ross moves in and becomes the neighborhood's number one enemy. Luckily, one dad has a secret family recipe guaranteed to get rid of rivals: Enemy Pie. The only catch is that to make the pie work, a boy must spend an entire day playing with his enemy. Filled with warm illustrations and a gentle, funny perspective on neighborhood rivalries, this picture book shows young readers how spending time with someone new can change how you see them.
Ages 6–8
Beautiful Oops!
by Barney Saltzberg
This playful, interactive picture book demonstrates how accidents and blunders can spark wonderful new ideas. Through clever pop-ups, fold-outs, torn edges, and paint spills, Barney Saltzberg shows young readers that a spill can become an animal or a rip can become an alligator's mouth. It is an uplifting, reassuring read that encourages a growth mindset, helping children worry less about making mistakes and feel excited to embrace their own creative experiments.
Ages 6–8
The Bad Guys
by Aaron Blabey
Mr. Wolf is tired of being seen as a scary villain, so he rounds up a crew of other misunderstood predators—including Mr. Snake, Mr. Piranha, and Mr. Shark—to do good deeds. Their first big mission is breaking two hundred dogs out of a maximum-security dog pound. Told through lively black-and-white comic panels and punchy dialogue, this fast-paced story delivers lots of slapstick laughs as the unlikely heroes discover that acting like good guys is much harder than it looks.
Ages 6–8
Ish
by Peter H. Reynolds
Ramon loves to draw anything and everything, until his older brother laughs at one of his pictures and shatters his confidence. Ready to give up on art entirely, Ramon discovers that his little sister has secretly been saving his crumpled sketches on her bedroom walls. Seeing his work through her eyes, he learns that art does not have to look exact—it just needs to capture a feeling and be "ish." It is a gentle, reassuring story that encourages creative freedom and helps young children let go of perfectionism.
A good book is the start. A mentor makes it stick.
In a free 1:1 session, a trained Bookstaken mentor reads with your child, asks what they think and helps the reading habit last.
