(Part 2) Reddit mentions: The best children art books

Update:


Thank you all for your suggestions!! I bought a few of the ones mentioned here as well as some others. I went a little overboard, but I figure I can space out the gifts for later in the year, and some are for her little brother too.

1. Nancy Drew (1-5) I LOVED these when I was younger, they're such a classic and Nancy's take charge attitude taught me so much.
   
   
2. Little Pea (for her brother) A cute little kids book about a young pea who has to eat all of his candy for dinner, so he can have veggies for dessert! It's so charming and silly and is a fun reversal for kids who don't want to eat their veggies :)
   
   
3. The Planets in Our Solar System (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science) Thanks for the suggestion /u/tectonicus!
   
   
4. The Daring Book for Girls - a fun reference for knowledge and classic kids games, always ideas for fun stuff to do!
   
   
5. Getting To Know The World's Greatest Artists - These art history books for kids gave me such a decent foundation in art history that when I finally took it in college I got my first A+ at a university level. Not to mention, having that knowledge made my time at art museums for field trips and such so much more relevant as I grew up! Also, I give these books full credit for my success in Jeopardy studio auditions :)
   
   

• >Van Gogh
  
• >Monet
  
• >O'Keefe
  
• >Da Vinci
  
• >Rockwell
  
• 
  
  
  
  
  (She's French born, so I made sure to include some American artists in there too.)
  
  

6. The Paper Bag Princess - another one of my favorites that my dad used to read to me when I was younger. I loved it because when the Dragon strikes, it's the princess who has to outsmart him to save the bratty prince :)
   
   
7. The Magic School Bus Lost In The Solar System, and The Magic School Bus On The Ocean Floor. Classics! Thank you /u/tectonicus, /u/mariposamariposa, and /u/caemin!
   
   
8. The Book with No Pictures by B.J. Novak - couldn't tell too much about this one, but it's supposed to be very clever and leave a lot to the kid's imagination, fun to read out loud!
   
   
9. Annie Oakley: Young Markswoman (Childhood of Famous Americans). Another book I enjoyed as a girl about a young woman who who "broke the mold" - stepping outside of social boundaries and working hard at something she was incredibly talented at.
   
   
10. The Way Things Work - This one looks great!
    Thank you /u/mariposamariposa, and /u/moration!
    
    
    Edit: For the commenters saying I should just give her princess stuff if that's what she likes - I have and will continue to. This year I spent over 100 hours making her an Elsa from Frozen dress for her birthday. This should be proof enough that I encourage and share her enthusiasm. http://imgur.com/a/ga9DQ

Here are some books my kids love:

Picture books:

• Boot and Shoe by Marla Frazee - Sweet story of two dog brothers
  
  
• Look! A Book! by Bob Staake - Fun, funny I Spy type book but with an absurd silliness and fun rhymes
  
  
• And it's not really obscure since it's a NYT Bestseller but I'd be remiss if I didn't plug The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt since he's an old friend of mine. Plus my kids love it.
  
  Chapter books:
  
  Most of the chapter books my kids read are part of a series so they aren’t really obscure but my kids love them so I figured I’d note them in case you hadn’t heard of any of them:
  
  
• The Magic Treehouse series is a good series to start with for chapter books
  
  
• Bunnicula is hilarious
  
  
• Encyclopedia Brown – I loved them and now my son loves them
  
  
• Stink – My son loves that Stink and his friends are a lot like him and his friends. Their adventures are very relatable
  
  
• And my five year old daughter and I love Ivy and Bean and their antics. They’re laugh out loud funny and it’s great to have girl books that are about girls horsing around and getting into trouble. Ivy and Bean are real kids, not just precious little princesses in training.
  

Happy birthday! The big ol' 2-5!

This is out of 15 dollars, but maybe you'll like these since you love roses(and pretty things). Romwe leggings are very well made and flattering! http://www.amazon.com/Romwe-Womens-Elastic-Darcon-Leggings-Black-M/dp/B00C2LZPHS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1370919359&sr=8-1&keywords=romwe+rose+leggings


As far as in your price range, here are some rose nail decals

these for $3.69 + $2.85 shipping (my fave)
http://www.amazon.com/Egoodforyou-BLE-Classicism-Painting-Follower/dp/B00B17Y282/ref=sr_1_30?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1370919574&sr=1-30&keywords=rose+nails

or blue/purple

http://www.amazon.com/Egoodforyou-BLE-Transfer-Sticker-packaged/dp/B00B187GSE/ref=sr_1_69?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1370919667&sr=1-69&keywords=rose+nails

some rose tights $5.80 + $6.00

http://www.amazon.com/mesh-rose-side-tights-BLACK/dp/B008BMYC3A/ref=sr_1_10?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1370919852&sr=1-10&keywords=rose+tights

Rose bracelet
http://www.amazon.com/synthetic-coral-carved-flower-bracelet/dp/B004BOT9O4/ref=sr_1_10?s=jewelry&ie=UTF8&qid=1370923004&sr=1-10&keywords=rose+bracelet

These rose sunglasses (love)
http://www.amazon.com/Womens-Flower-Mirrored-Sunglasses-Eyewear/dp/B00CV0305Y/ref=sr_1_5?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1370919942&sr=1-5&keywords=rose+sunglasses

This cool cuff/ring for 9.99$ (they have a red color too)
http://www.amazon.com/Autofor-Bracelet-Chained-Vintage-Decoration/dp/B00CHIZV9S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1370920128&sr=8-1&keywords=lace+rose+ring

Rose lips???
http://www.amazon.com/Violent-Lips-Glitteratti-Temporary-Tattoos/dp/B00C5TOHJ4/ref=sr_1_2?s=beauty&ie=UTF8&qid=1370923116&sr=1-2&keywords=rose+lip+tattoo

Rose shoe clips 14.50
http://www.amazon.com/Red-Rose-Flower-Shoe-Clips/dp/B007FCB0QY/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1370920252&sr=8-3&keywords=rose+shoe+clips

A little over, but I dig flower crowns! They are also super easy to make, and very cute.
http://www.amazon.com/With-Love-From-Womens-Flower/dp/B00CO72SZ2/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1370920410&sr=8-3&keywords=rose+flower+crown

Rose dust plug!
http://www.amazon.com/ZuGadgets-Earphone-Accessory-Anti-dust-iPhone/dp/B0098HR7CU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1370920533&sr=8-1&keywords=rose+dust+plug

Rose cell phone case
http://www.amazon.com/eFuture-Sculpture-Silicone-Iphone5-eFutures/dp/B00A6KAAC2/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1370920580&sr=8-8&keywords=rose+case

rose temp. tats
http://www.amazon.com/Roses-Tattoos-Dover-Charlene-Tarbox/dp/0486289974/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1370920800&sr=8-1&keywords=rose+temporary+tattoo

Woo! Wild thang!
http://www.amazon.com/HHN-Flower-Design-Lingerie-Underwear/dp/B00BS4VBO6/ref=sr_1_52?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1370920986&sr=1-52&keywords=rose+pattern+dress

Belly button ring?
http://www.amazon.com/Body-Accentz-Belly-Ring-Jewelry/dp/B005Q8QT74/ref=sr_1_33?s=jewelry&ie=UTF8&qid=1370921126&sr=1-33&keywords=rose+double+ring

Love cameo rings c:
http://www.amazon.com/Fashion-Degree-FDM-Oval-Flower/dp/B00D7AW0TO/ref=sr_1_26?s=jewelry&ie=UTF8&qid=1370921281&sr=1-26&keywords=double+finger+ring+rose

Ear cuff!
http://www.amazon.com/White-Rose-Swarovski-Chain-Handmade/dp/B008VJBKQ0/ref=sr_1_2?s=jewelry&ie=UTF8&qid=1370921324&sr=1-2&keywords=ROSE+EAR+CUFF

Ear wrap!

http://www.amazon.com/Flower-Cartilage-Earrings-Bronze-Antique/dp/B00D08N4OS/ref=sr_1_15?s=jewelry&ie=UTF8&qid=1370921421&sr=1-15&keywords=ROSE+EAR+CUFF

Rose Belt
http://www.amazon.com/Imixcity-Womens-Double-Buckle-Elastic/dp/B00AKKEI62/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1370921518&sr=8-11&keywords=rose+underwear

Rose Brooch!
http://www.amazon.com/Enamel-Painted-Rhinestone-Magical-Beauty/dp/B002S1FCOS/ref=sr_1_8?s=jewelry&ie=UTF8&qid=1370921952&sr=1-8&keywords=rose+brooch

Rose scarf
http://www.amazon.com/Acrylic-Fashion-Ruffle-Knitted-Scarf/dp/B007S7TZ86/ref=sr_1_1?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1370922404&sr=1-1&keywords=rose+scarf

Rose Socks
http://www.amazon.com/Foot-Traffic-Single-Womens-Socks/dp/B00BAZBSPU/ref=sr_1_5?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1370922476&sr=1-5&keywords=rose+nylon

Rose Flops!
http://www.amazon.com/Capelli-New-York-Opaque-Outsole/dp/B00795T3IE/ref=sr_1_35?s=shoes&ie=UTF8&qid=1370922743&sr=1-35&keywords=rose

Kitties with roses!
http://www.amazon.com/The-Mountain-Kittens-T-shirt-Adult/dp/B000N6M6US/ref=sr_1_22?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1370922883&sr=1-22&keywords=cat+rose

Woo! Happy birthday! I love shopping for others c:

I wouldn't know what to do with myself if I had this many colors D:
http://www.amazon.com/SHANY-Makeup-Artists-Eyeshadow-Palette/dp/B002RXW5BA/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=1HDUAZPRVGF3T&coliid=I37UDJBAHK9MDJ

How long will you be at the parks?

Here are some tips/thoughts!

• If you're used to Walt Disney World, Disneyland will be a completely familiar and completely different experience. There's a lot more history at the Disneyland park, so reading (or listening to!) something like The Disneyland Story or carrying around a copy of the Imagineering Field Guide to Disneyland (also nab California Adventure) can really enhance your visit.
  
  • There's a lot more history that you can appreciate with a little background knowledge: the original Enchanted Tiki Room, seeing Walt's Apartment, riding the train to see the dioramas, etc.
    
• There are a handful of things that are unique to Disneyland and differ from the Magic Kingdom. You'll likely have enough time to experience them all, but since your wife is used to Magic Kingdom it could help to keep these in mind.
  
• Leading up to the trip it can always be fun to revisit key movies that attractions and experiences are based on.
  
• Plan on grabbing a Park Hopper. The two parks are much closer than the parks at WDW and it's really easy to switch parks on a whim within a short walk.
  
• Since you were there 10 years ago, California Adventure will be a fun experience. It received quite an overhaul 7-12 years ago, so there will be lots of new stuff to experience.
  
• Check out a couple lists of things to eat and plan out what you want to munch your way through.
  
• Characters work a little differently at Disneyland. Whereas Magic Kingdom usually has pretty strict meet-and-greet areas, in Disneyland they tend to roam the park more (although some traditional meet-and-greets exist).
  
• Lastly, I'm not sure how flexible your plans are, but if your wife is obsessed with Disney, the Walt Disney Family Museum in San Fransisco is a fun visit. It's a more academic Disney experience, and a 6.5 hour car ride north, but if you feel like spending a day or two in San Fransisco it's a great destination for Disney fans.

Oh man, art hobbyist turned art student here! I study classical realism and the figure, so your mileage may vary with this advice depending on your goals, but here it goes.

First, reading list.

Animating the Loony Toons Way is a great primer to conveying motion and energy, and simplifying form.

Figure Drawing for All It's Worth [PDF] is a classic by the great Andrew Loomis that's in the public domain.

Vanishing Point is a good beginner book on perspective.

Don't worry about memorizing everything in those books. Drawing is a process of constantly correcting yourself, and the more you read the more you'll understand, which will make you better which will make it easier to see more advanced flaws and so on.

The most important thing is to practice as much as you can. That answer isn't particularly sexy, but practice without reading will get you farther than reading without practice. Remember to constantly push your comfort zone. The atelier that I study at has a poster on the wall with three concentric circles. The inner circle marks the comfort zone, and this is where what you're drawing is so easy that it's not really a challenge. The outermost circle marks the panic zone. Things in the panic zone are so complex that you have no idea how to even approach them. The middle circle is the learning zone. Things in the learning zone are difficult, and you don't know how to do them, but you know where to start and the basic process of how to go about it. Stay in the learning zone.

Draw things that you see, and do so as much as possible. If you can't draw what you can see with your physical eyes, how can you learn to draw what you see in your fuzzy and inconsistent imagination?

When I was first starting out, I drew small boxes and spheres in perspective, and tried to draw them from every angle. It's pretty hard and tedious, but everything you draw is made up of simple shapes. Draw simple shapes before moving to more complex forms.

Start simple, and then make things more complex. For a head, I usually start with a cube before moving on to the more subtle aspects of form. Here's an example of how I approach drawing a head (excuse the shitty quality and stylized-ness, this took me like 2 minutes):

First I block in the basic shape and mass. Don't sweat this, you can always change it later.

Second, I start to chisel out some of the bigger form variations, and try to begin defining the complex side plane of the head and face. I know where to begin and end the angle changes because of lots of experience and practice. You develop a gut feeling for it after a while.

Thirdly, I finish defining the various planes and begin to work on the details. The larger shapes help me locate the smaller ones. John Singer Sargent would start his paintings over if an eye was in the wrong place, because to him it was indicative of a larger structural problem that caused him to place it there. A lot can be fixed if you start with a strong beginning.

I'm not taking this image far by any means, but here it is with some value thrown in to get a sense of depth.

Gone back over with a darker pen to emphasize the final lines of the image.

One thing to watch out for is rhythm in your work. Rhythm is a repetition of a single line or curve throughout the piece (in other words, things line up), and it's what makes a piece hold together and feel cohesive. Look through some cartoons or comics and see how many rhythms you can find. I wish somebody had told me about rhythm when I was just starting out.

That's all I have in the way of general advice, but definitely let me know if you have any more specific questions of any kind. I love talking about art. I hope this was helpful!

Wow. Just went back and read the original post. That's some story. Glad you got to the bottom of it. (Gotta say, you are one fabulous aunt!)

It's great that your sister is addressing your niece's sense of self by having her be around more kids who look like her. But I'm guessing it'll take more than a long talk to undo what your brother-in-law's family set in motion. (I hate to say it, but ... Arizona.)

It sounds like, along with their racist attitudes and a sense that this is an okay way to think and behave, your niece internalized a kind of ethnocentrism that suggests a goodness-badness continuum, where lighter people are on one end, and darker folks on the other. Restoring her sense of self-worth about her own skin color and beauty might require a full-on challenge of this idea. In other words, being around other Asian kids is important but may not be enough; she might also need counter-examples against black and latino stereotypes.

Fortunately, there are plenty of awesome picture storybooks for her age group featuring black, brown, and asian kids and families that will simply humanize all types of folks, and humanizing is the best way to challenge your bro-in-law's family's dehumanizing ideas. (I mean seriously--brown people act like monkeys and steal money?)

Off the top of my head, here are some books we read to our daughter:

• Sol A Sol: Original and Selected Bilingual Poems by Lori Marie Carlson
  
  
• From the Bellybutton of the Moon and Other Summer Poems by Francisco X. Alarcon and Maya Christina Gonzalez
  
  
• Peek: A Thai Hide & Seek by Minfong Ho and Holly Meade
  
  
• Hush: A Thai Lullaby by Minfong Ho and Holly Meade
  
  
• Cherries & Cherry Pits by Vera Williams
  
  
• The Honest-to-Goodness Truth by Patricia C. McKissack & Giselle Potter
  
  
• and of course, a few classics: The Snowy Day and Whistle for Willie by Ezra Jack Keats and Corduroy by Don Freeman
  
  Lastly, your bro-in-law's soft-pedal response really is no help. Sounds like he has no idea how much he sucks. He's got a brown kid; he needs to stand in her shoes, even if it means standing up his family, and facing down his own messed-up beliefs. Dude needs to man up. He's got an opportunity here; I hope he takes it.
  
  TL;DR: You're an awesome aunt.
  

Possibly the Look-Alikes books by Joan Steiner?

"Come along! Jump aboard! Grab hold of my hand. / We're crossing the border into Look-Alike Land." So invites the opening lines of Joan Steiner's Look-Alikes, a three-dimensional miniature metropolis that's meticulously, ingeniously crafted out of everyday objects from mousetraps to milk bones. At first glance, a fancy hotel lobby seems just that, but take a closer look and you'll see a sofa made of gloves. In a sunny street scene, a building façade is laden with crackers, crayons form fence posts, and the tree is shaded by a stalk of broccoli. Children and adults alike will love poring over each picture, most of which contain more than 100 objects cleverly arranged to delight and deceive. Kids will easily identify many household objects, and the ones they may not recognize--a hosiery garter or flour sifter, for example--they'll learn from either the guide in the back or from a helpful parent."

"Joan Steiner's "Look-Alikes" is endlessly interesting for kids and adults alike. This self-taught artist employs everyday items--tea bags, Fig Newtons, miniature hair combs, matches, tissues, strips of licorice, graham crackers, torn-up sponges, pencils, and so much more--to create the most astonishingly lifelike scenes.
You can see everything from a port city with boats arriving to a soda shop to a candy store to a classroom, each filled to brimming with trinkets and everyday articles of every kind, each employed as something other than what it really is "

https://www.amazon.com/Look-Alikes-More-You-Look-See/dp/0316713481

https://www.amazon.com/Look-Alikes-Christmas-More-You-Look/dp/0316811874/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_img_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=ZJ8EGQ4WSTVWA1SZ7GPX

https://www.amazon.com/Look-Alikes-Seek-Search-Puzzles-Steiner/dp/0316074071/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1511323926&sr=1-3&keywords=joan+alikes+joan+steiner

https://www.amazon.com/Look-Alikes-Jr-Everyday-Objects-Hardcover/dp/B01070ZMH8/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1511323926&sr=1-5&keywords=joan+alikes+joan+steiner

I'll second James Gurney's books, his blog and his "In the Wild" video series.

I really like the Complete Guide to Drawing Animals by Gottfried Bammes. It brought together a lot of concepts about anatomy in art that I hadn't really fully understood until I read it. Similarly, I think Sarah Simblet's Botany for the Artist has beautiful and inspiring art.

I'm a big old paleontology nerd, so I have a lot of books on my shelves with fantastic paleoart: Dinosaur Art, edited by Steve White, is a great showcase of modern paleoartists, and Feathered Dinosaurs is full of gorgeous paintings by Peter Schouten. For drawings of dinosaurs of the non-extinct variety, I'm fond of Katrina van Grouw's The Unfeathered Bird.

And I just got a copy of Shaun Tan's The Bird King and, oh man, I really love it. His imagination is incredible. Highly recommended for when you're in a creative rut.

Yo what's up everybody!

A little while back, I made this coloring book for one of my college courses. It is a fun little story about time travel, and recoloring certain locals and items throughout history. Kids can have fun learning and coloring the coloring the pictures, while adults can have a good time also reading the story.

It's on Amazon right now for only $9.99! Please look into it and let me know what you think!

Back Cover Text:
>"Oh no! Color is being drained from these historical landmarks and artifacts! I need to get some help if I'm to ever fix this problem! But who?" With your Magic Crayon in hand, travel through time with Wally Wayback on his quest to help restore color to some important items and locations in history. On this fantastic and wonderful journey, learn about the significance and interesting lore of key locations and relics from some places that you might not know too much about.

Thank you for reading!

I am already looking on Amazon :)

Some ideas for OP:

http://www.amazon.com/Dont-Let-Pigeon-Drive-Bus/dp/078681988X/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1419580113&sr=1-4&keywords=pigeon

Plus - the boardgame that about the pigeon driving the bus. So cute, and great for social skills.

For your 7 year old: http://www.amazon.com/Book-No-Pictures-B-J-Novak/dp/0803741715/ref=lp_10238950011_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1419580437&sr=1-1

It is meant to read out loud - hilarious!!

These are awesome: http://www.amazon.com/Fiskars-Gel-Pen-48-Piece-Value/dp/B000S161FO/ref=sr_1_1?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1419580561&sr=1-1&keywords=gel+pens

And should go with this for the 7 year old:

http://www.amazon.com/Boys-Doodle-Book-Pictures-Complete/dp/0762435062/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&qid=1419580657&sr=8-14&keywords=doodle

And if you have some tolerance for crafting :) this: http://www.amazon.com/Klutz-Spiral-Draw/dp/B00BEKOAYW/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1419580776&sr=8-9&keywords=spiral+art

Does your little one need jammies? http://www.amazon.com/Leveret-Stars-Piece-Pajama-Cotton/dp/B00P1NL1JU/ref=sr_1_9?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1419580939&sr=1-9&keywords=pajamas

What about a backpack? This might work for the 7 year old: http://www.amazon.com/Everest-Backpack-Front-Pockets-Orange/dp/B00DQMWN6S/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1419580816&sr=8-5&keywords=kid+backpack

)

1. When you wish upon a star (makes no difference who you are, anything your heart desires will come to youuuuuuu)
   
   
2. Disney movie: Frozen. Pixar movie: It's a tie between Finding Nemo and Wall-E. I love Wall-E because it reminds me of when I used to work at Magic Kingdom on main street because the music in that movie is played in Magic Kingdom. Finding Nemo because it's what got me wondering how they made movies. Now because of that movie I have a degree in film making and I'm starting to learn how to draw so I can look into getting an animation degree in the future. And Frozen because, well, Let It Go. lol
   
   
3. ^ From above...Let It Go. I used to work at the Disney store (yup, I got the illness when I got back from my college program and applied at my local Disney store) and they played that song OVER AND OVER along with the rest of the soundtrack and I NEVER got tired of Let It Go. I DID however get tired of the rest of the soundtrack lol
   
   
4. Relevant (there is a "new condition" one a bit down the page it's just a little over $5 with shipping =]
   
   BTW Brother Bear is such an underrated movie. I LOVE Phil Collins (grew up on Genesis) so I pretty much like every song he sung in, which includes Tarzan too.

Because I'm Happy!

This place has become so very special to me. I started out thinking it was a neat concept and hey it's cool to gift and be gifted- who doesn't like that? This place is so so much more. I come here every day since I joined. I wake up and look forward to interacting with everyone here. Some days I'm able to brighten someone else's day with a few kind words or a surprise gift. Some days it's me who needs those kind words and I always find them here.

The internet can be a scary ugly place. Being anonymous on the web turns many into nasty, hurtful humans. For someone with social anxiety like myself that can make it very hard to reach out for the friendship and support every person needs. This place is my safe place and I think it is for many others as well.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0794431550/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=26LEL7B87M80H&coliid=I2CTNAT8XGMKTU

Link- or surprise me I love surprises!

Get him the anti coloring book. I don't know about this new edition but I had the original back when it first came out (I think?) and it was honestly my most treasured thing as a kid. I took it with me everywhere. I still think about it and am grateful that I grew up learning how to be creative rather than just a photostat.

I am American! Oh and my great great great greatttttttttttttt grandfather was friends with William Penn or something.

George Washington Paper Dolls Because I love paper dolls.

FREEDOM

In Galveston, Texas, it is illegal to have a camel run loose on the beach.

There were two Klutz books back in the day for polymer clay, and each came with 8 half-bars of Sculpey III (a low-quality polymer clay); they wouldn't have the clay still included though if purchased at amazon, eBay, etc.
https://www.amazon.com/Incredible-Clay-Book-Klutz-Press/dp/1878257730
https://www.amazon.com/Create-Anything-Clay-Sherri-Haab/dp/1570543275
Those were very simple books oriented toward kids, and almost entirely small sculpted items in the second book (the first book had more techniques), but I see there's at least one newer Klutz polymer clay book (not by the same author/s though) on making sculpted "charms":
https://www.amazon.com/Klutz-Make-Clay-Charms-Craft/dp/0545498562

There are better books for those things though, even for simple sculpts (including "charms") like these for example:
https://www.amazon.com/Clay-Play-JEWELRY-Terry-Taylor/dp/0486799441
https://www.amazon.com/Polymer-Clay-Cookbook-Tiny-Jewelry/dp/0823024849

But there's also loads of FREE info, tutorials, etc, online at YouTube and at places like my website for making things like that, and many other things with polymer clay.

I had A Child's Book of Art, assembled by Lucy Micklethwait, as a child. It's not aimed at babies -- I'd say ages 3-7, maybe -- but it claims that babies actually like realistic images of people. (The images come from all sorts of styles and mediums, and are grouped in categories like "things to do", "times of year", "opposites", and stuff like that. Some are famous and some are not. Generally there is a single word in large print to describe each picture. I'd say it was a pretty good book, and I still use it to find images sometimes.)

I really love coloring in The Anti-Coloring books. Basically, instead of having pages to color, it gives you prompts to create your own pictures. It's really fun to have kids and adults play with it. I love my inner child!

https://www.amazon.com/Spider-Man-Ultimate-Guide-Amazing-Publishing/dp/0756626757 or an earlier edition of this seems like the best bet.

You're probably referring to Spider-Man: The Ultimate Guide. A popular Scholastic offering at schools.