So you're looking for a couple of books from a brilliant author/illustrator? Ones that will make kids say "ewwww" page after page, all while laughing uproariously? Ones that kids will want to read again and again and again because each little twist is ingenious? Tedd Arnold's will do the trick: For the most part, his … Continue reading Parts and Even More Parts – Perfect Picture Book Friday
As part of Susanna Leonard Hill's Perfect Picture Book Friday, I'd like to present: I'm attracted to messy, silly, rhyming picture books for several reasons: They give kids a sense of the rhythm of language and help them predict the word at the end of a line. They entertain. They appeal to one's sense of … Continue reading Smelly Bill – Perfect Picture Book Friday
My 11-yr-old son has discovered Russ Cox, a wonderful illustrator. You can see his work at Smiling Otis Studio. [Yes, Mike Allegra (HeyLookAWriterFellow), Otis was one of Russ's cats. They're everywhere! And BTW, a mouse snuck into our pantry and tore into the brown sugar, dried beans, and pancake mix. I'm thinking we've got a diabetic … Continue reading Illustrator Influence
Title: Lindbergh: The Tale of a Flying Mouse Author/illustrator: Torben KuhlmannEnglish text by: Suzanne LevesquePublisher: NorthSouth Books, Inc, 2014Suitable for ages: 4-adult (It's gorgeous!!!)Content: Although the story is fiction, Kuhlmann includes a few paragraphs about the history of aviation and Charles Lindbergh at the back of the book. There's also a foreword by a … Continue reading Lindbergh: The Tale of a—what?! Perfect Picture Book Friday
A fabulous illustrator, Christian Robinson, recently held our school's "itchy-britches-is-it-summer-yet" children spellbound. If you aren't familiar with Christian's work, you should check out his website and marvel at his range. And if you happened to "Google" anything on this past Martin Luther King Day, you most likely noticed Christian's "Google Doodle," honoring Dr. King. But … Continue reading Josephine Baker Rocks!
According to my 10-year-old son, the American Revolution can be distilled to four panels (click photo to enlarge): He loved drawing this cartoon and spent a couple of joyful hours completely absorbed in his work. Note that the Loyalist character's voice comes from off the page, showing how the Loyalists either operated under cover, "lost … Continue reading What do David Shannon and My Son Have in Common?
When HeyLookAWriterFellow (Mike Allegra) sent my son a "Celebrate" stamp (see post "Celebrate Cats!"), he didn't know what he was getting himself into---or maybe he did. My son thanked Mike for the stamp by creating a new stamp, "Celebrate Falling!" and a comic book (see post "Alien Invasion - A Graphic Novel" and sending them as … Continue reading Celebrate—Illustrators!!
An alien spacecraft appears, sucking up space garbage for fuel. Oh, noooo! Young Zokx's spacecraft gets pulled into a nebula-- that sends him hurtling toward an unknown planet. Zokx's arrival makes breaking news. He abandons his spacecraft before it crashes. Distraught at the loss of his spacecraft and unaware of the dangers of high-tech 4x4s, … Continue reading Alien Invasion – A Graphic Novel
Jilanne Hoffmann 