She Drew Dinosaurs

Bringing two exciting subjects together — dinosaurs and art! — this picture book biography for ages 4 and up tells the story of a trailbrazing artist, Eleanor Kish (1924-2014), who figured out how to paint an ancient world no one has ever seen before.

Ely Kish was smart and tenacious. When she wanted to build an easel, she joined a carpentry class despite being the only girl. When she wanted to travel, she learned how to fix an old car and drove all over North America, painting every day. She learned to appreciate the tiny details in the world around her, and her skill as a painter grew and grew.

But when she was hired to paint dinosaurs, she faced her biggest challenge yet. How could she paint something that nobody had ever seen? Luckily, Ely was good at figuring things out.

Join Ely as she pieces together the clues the dinosaurs left behind to bring these astonishing prehistoric creatures to life, step by step. This inspiring story of a trailblazing artist demonstrates how art and science can work together to help us understand our world in exciting and beautiful ways.

Includes back matter with more about Ely Kish and paleoart.

Visit the the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History to see Ely Kish's art on display.