Drawing Lessons from a Bear

"You can't be a bear, you know, but you can be an artist. Are you an artist?Then say so. Say it softly to yourself, or say it loudly for the whole world to hear: I AM AN ARTIST! There. Now you are an artist. For all time and forever."From his earliest scratchings on the floor of his den to his drawings for kings and queens and princesses, this down-to-earth bear artist guides and encourages young readers to follow their dreams. Support from his mom (who hangs his first pictures on the wall of the den with magnetic rocks) and his teacher, as well as inspiration from art museums and the world around him, create an environment where the fuzzy artist can learn and grow.Warmly humorous text by David McPhail, the beloved human artist and author ofmore than 50 children's books (including Edward and the Pirates), willinspire bears and human beings alike to pursue their artistic aspirations. (Ages 4 to 8) --Emilie Coulter

David McPhail has been a passionate artist since the age of two. He studied at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and began illustrating books for children in 1972. Since then he has created dozens of beloved books, including the celebrated Mole Music, which was a New York Times Book Review Best Illustrated Book of the Year, the bestselling If You Were My Bunny, Edward and the Pirates, and Lost! He lives in New Hampshire.