Whether one is homeschooling or not, when looking for books that will encourage art appreciation in young children, I have found that most, if not all, will encourage active looking.  Many are inquiry-based, meaning they ask questions of the reader rather than simply giving information. Some series, like "Come Look With Me," will present a work of art on one page, and a set of questions on the other, followed on that same page by a short description with facts about the work. Depending on the work selected and the audience level of the questions, one can find a huge range in the presentation in this series, appealing to the very young to the upper grade child. These are short books and each covers no more than twelve works.

Other series, like Gillian Wolfe's "Look!," are specifically designed for younger children, in the six-to-ten-year range, with art work selections that appeal both visually and thematically, and which are shown in large, clear reproductions. One entry in this series, Body Language in Art, breaks down its subject into faces, hands, body pose and message. Wolfe presents a work, describes it in one or two sentences, asks questions and explains (very briefly) what the artist has done. Each work comes with a suggestion for further study or an activity. I was impressed with the way the first three chapters led naturally into the message chapter, encouraging readers to apply what they had just learned. The works selected vary from Georges Le Tour's "The Fortune Teller," the work selected for the cover, to Norman Rockwell's "Going and Coming," and include an excellent introduction to Grant Wood's "American Gothic" in the message chapter. A concluding section gives more information about the seventeen works and where they can be found.