Studying master artist Claude Monet in your homeschool? Today I’m sharing some wonderful books about Monet that you’ll want to read with your kids.
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I’ve been blown away by the books we’ve come across while studying Claude Monet this month. Some are better suited for my sixth grader, but some are a better match for my kindergartner. There were even a few that I came across that don’t meet our needs personally, but they’re wonderful nonetheless.
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Some of these books about Monet are timeless picture books that introduce his name and his work, while some are biographical in nature and focus on his career. There are even a few that combine those elements and give kids a chance to get hands-on while learning about Monet.
Regardless of what kind of Monet book you’re looking for today, I’m confident you’ll find something here to help you learn about Claude Monet and how he impacted the world of art.
15 Favorite Children’s Books About Monet
Before jumping into the list, note that all of the links below lead to Amazon. If you would prefer to support independent booksellers through your purchases, check out this list of books about Claude Monet on Bookshop.org.
1. Linnea in Monet’s Garden
Linnea in Monet’s Garden is a perfect blend of storybook and nonfiction. The book follows a girl named Linnea as she visits Monet’s gardens and learns about his life and work.
2. Where is the Frog?
Where is the Frog? does a wonderful job in showcasing Claude Monet’s work in a fun and playful way. The story engaging, but not so prominent that Monet’s beautiful work shares the spotlight or loses it altogether.
3. The Magical Garden of Claude Monet
The Magical Garden of Claude Monet is a lovely way to introduce kids to Monet’s art. It combines Monet-inspired illustrations with the story of a young girl visiting the beautiful French gardens that inspired so many of Monet’s masterpieces.
4. Getting to Know the World’s Greatest Artists: Claude Monet
If you’d rather focus on one book rather than several books about Monet, let this be the one you choose. Like the others in Mike Venezia’s series, Claude Monet is not only a fun read, but it’s a great combination of biographical information, photos, and illustrations.
5. Claude Monet: Sunshine and Waterlilies
Sunshine and Waterlilies from the Smart About Art series is an especially good Monet read for elementary age children. I like this series because the information is presented in book report form. It’s written like Monet for kids by kids (except for the author isn’t actually a kid).
Oh, and disregard the Amazon information for this one. I have no idea why the description is about van Gogh. Indeed, it’s all about Monet. ;)
6. Katie and the Waterlily Pond
If you’ve never been introduced to James Mayhew’s beloved character, Katie and the Waterlily Pond is a wonderful way to get to know her. In this story, Katie explores five well-known works from Claude Monet in an effort to learn how to create her own Monet-style painting.
7. A Picnic with Monet
Who says little learners can’t enjoy learning about Monet’s work? A Picnic with Monet is a board book that highlights ten Monet masterpieces and combines them with short, lyrical text.
8. Who Was Claude Monet?
Need a kid-friendly Monet biography? Who Was Claude Monet? is a great choice. It begins with Monet as a child and moves into his adult life and his career. It also includes a timeline of Monet’s life and information on where to view Monet’s work today.
9. Monet Paints a Day
Monet Paints a Day is a perfect example of why we use picture books to learn about master artists. This living book is based on a true story and shows the ambition and personality of Claude Monet.
And, if being transported to Étretat to watch Monet paint isn’t enough, this lovely book also shares biographical details in snippets and introduces his painting techniques.
10. Philippe in Monet’s Garden
Philippe in Monet’s Garden is one of the books about Monet that’s better suited for younger learners. It combines Monet’s later work with a frog named Philippe. An added bonus, it also reminds readers to be kind to others.
11. Monet’s Impressions
If you’re looking for a book that focuses on Monet’s work, you can’t go wrong with Monet’s Impressions. Published by The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Monet’s Impressions uses the artist’s own words for the text.
12. Monet and the Impressionists
What sets Monet and the Impressionists apart from other books on my list is that it’s more than information and photographs about Claude Monet. Monet takes the spotlight as the master impressionist in this book, but others like Cassatt, Degas, and Renoir are also celebrated.
In addition to the information about the impressionists, it includes suggestions for impressionist-inspired art projects and other fun activities. For sure, Monet and the Impressionists for Kids is one you’ll want to check out for yourself!
13. Claude Monet: The Painter Who Stopped Trains
I love how The Painter Who Stopped Trains allows us to see a different side of Claude Monet. This picture book explains the how and why behind some of Monet’s lesser-known work and introduces us to Monet’s son.
14. DK Eyewitness: Monet
This is one of my absolute favorite books about Monet! We borrowed DK Eyewitness Monet from our library and devoured it. It’s full of information about Monet’s childhood and personal life, the Impressionist movement, and features the inspiration behind and details about many of his pieces.
15. Once Upon a Lily Pad
Once Upon a Lily Pad is another great Monet book for little learners. It introduces Monet and his work, but does so from the perspective of the frogs in Monet’s gardens.
Looking for more books about the world’s greatest artists? You can find all of my lists here for lists like these: