Making Art

by Diana Ejaita

A celebration of the many ways we make art, spanning mediums, geography, and resources from author-artist Diana Ejaita.

Art is for everyone! From found objects to sidewalk chalk, from homemade instruments to breakdancing, from building with blocks to molding clay, art is natural and healing. Readers will be encouraged by the invitation to create anything, anywhere, with any materials. Inclusive and expansive, Ejaita portrays a wide cast of characters exploring their own feelings and ideas, accompanied by a poignant, yet easily understood, text. This deceptively simple and stunningly composed picture book offers children a sense of what art can be, and the ways in which it adds beauty to our lives.

Genres: Picture Books, Art, Childrens, Emotion, Storytime

32 pages, Hardcover

Published November 18, 2025

About the author

Diana Ejaita is a Nigerian-Italian artist who works as an illustrator and textile designer in Berlin, Germany. Her clients include the New Yorker, Afriquette, Flags for the Earth, and NATAAL. She is currently completing an artist’s residency in Burkina Faso.

Reviews

[Kirsti · Rating 5 out of 5]

"We cannot make art without listening to our feelings."

"Art connects our inside to the outside, and the outside to our inside."

"All art makes us wise! It helps us think about important things."

"Sometimes, it's hard to come up with ideas for art. Time can feel very long."

What a wise book! I love the colorful, action-filled illustrations.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous, with lovely considerations about making art, written simply for children but in ways that speak true to even an adult experience.

[Donia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read for students: The Art Café

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Art is an important part of the curriculum in our schools. Teachers who teach in early education classrooms often coordinate art activities with other activities for young learners. Diana Ejaita's engaging picture book is one that teachers who plan art activities for their young students will want to add this picture book to their classroom shelf. One of the illustrations features a young artist who creates a new oobject out of old things. Teachers often ask for donations of old items to use in their classroom for art projects.

Each colorfully illustrated page of this picture book features an idea or concept about why or how art is created. The concept that an idea for an art project is a viable concept of Ejaita's picture book. The idea that art is for everyone is present throughout the picture book.

Teachers can engage young students in discussions about how they feel about art after reading. Preparing an art center in the classroom can follow the reading. The picture book encourages the use of all kinds of materials to create an art project.

Making Art was published by Penguin/Random House. It has an ISBN of 978-0-593-66015-7.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

While there is a sticker on this title saying that the New York Public Library gave this title a Best Illustrated Children’s Book Award, what I really liked was the text. In very basic short sentences the author/illustrator has explained to young children the meaning of art in vocabulary they can comprehend.
Essentially the author very effectively has said to children art creations convey a message of feeling and is also to make us think. The illustrations also included sculpture as well as music.I did enjoy the variety of media to make art shown on the end papers. The text is a wonderful definition of art for young children!

[Kaylee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Making Art is a beautiful and gentle picture book that celebrates creativity, imagination, and the joy of making things with your own hands. Diana Ejaita’s artwork is striking and expressive, showing how art can connect people, cultures, and feelings. The story encourages kids to explore, play, and express themselves in their own unique way. It’s inspiring, visually stunning, and a wonderful addition to any classroom or home library.

[Terresa Wellborn · Rating 4 out of 5]

"All of your art adds beauty to this Earth. Thank you for your art!"

This is a colorful celebration of kids making art, from music to murals, masks to collage, puppets, dance, homemade costumes to upcycled masterpieces. Could also share just a few pages to preface a class or library art program with younger children.

Themes: art, emotion
Ages: preK-2nd grade+
Pub year: 2025

[Vincent Desjardins · Rating 5 out of 5]

As an artist, I loved this colorful look at the role of art in the world and how making art can bring about change. Not only by adding beauty to the world, but the feelings it can bring forth in both creator and viewer. A really lovely book for any budding artist or for those who might need a nudge in getting started with the creative process.

[Callie Anna · Rating 1 out of 5]

For a very young reader, the abstract depictions of things aren’t helpful. While the colors are beautiful and the sentiment is nice, I would personally rather teach my child these truths about art implicitly through good, beautiful, excellent art, rather than explicitly through a series of statements.

[Cara Byrne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Ejaita's colorful art style and poetic ideas about creativity and making art, though it was hard to keep my kindergartener's attention with this book comprised of statements instead of a story.

[jennifer]

Sweet and moving

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

A colorful picture book about the process of making art and art’s importance.

[Aolund · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely introduction to art making. I couldn't help wishing the art was made by hand and not digitally.

Themes: art, creativity
age range: Preschool-Kindergarten

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book about the joy of making art: I loved the illustrations but found the text a little general and unengaging.

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read it. Nice simple explanation of art and what goes into it and how it can affect one.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many types of art are shown - music, collage, clay sculpture, drawing, painting, sewing, writing, transforming found items. Colorful and inspiring

[Dylan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like the illustrations and the idea of it, but was a little lacking in overall substance.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful tribute to the artistic experience.

[Wallace Carroll · Rating 2 out of 5]

A surprisingly generic book about why art is good.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Completely wonderful picture book that distills huge theories of creativity into kid-language and gorgeous images.

[Meredith · Rating 4 out of 5]

The art teacher needs this in her collection!

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ejaita offers readers a look at how art has to connect our feelings inside with what we observe outside.

[Holly Mueller · Rating 4 out of 5]

A celebration of art and creativity. Art is for everyone!

[Clarissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A simple introduction to the value of making art. The striking illustrations show children making all kinds of art from painting and writing to performing.