But Art Is Awful!: A Picture Book

A hilarious picture book about an endearing little crank who thinks the museum is absolutely awful . . . or is it actually awesome?

Art can be a lot of things—wondrous, inspiring, transformative . . . but mostly it’s boring!

And visiting an art museum? Double boring! Come along with a curmudgeonly young boy—who’s more interested in finger painting his cat than “admiring art”—as he’s taken to the local museum by his well-meaning mother.

Seriously, what’s so great about scribbles and squares and dots? OK, sure, that portrait made of cubes is kind of cool. And those sculptures made of clay are pretty awesome . . . Gasp! Maybe he does like art after all?! Well, would that be so awful?

Witty and informative (but never boring!), author Cassi McCreight and Xindi Yan, illustrator of the New York Times-bestselling Busy Betty series, have paired up to create a laugh-out-loud romp all about art appreciation.

With nods to famous artists and art movements on every page, and back matter explaining each movement through a kid-friendly voice, young readers will soon find themselves eager to visit their local art museum or make masterpieces of their own.

© 2026 Abrams Books for Young Readers (Ebook): 9798887075525

Release date

Ebook: 19 May 2026