Creating a strong image, whether written or drawn, comes down to choosing the right moment and knowing what to leave out. In this year's final Author Spotlight Post, R. Gregory Christie talks about how observation and instinct shape those decisions. Readers will understand how those sensibilities carried into his work on Black Hands: Builders of Our Nation.
Category: illustrations
The Art of Writing a Graphic Novel
Gabbie Benda, author/illustrator of the graphic novel Serendipity shares some of the quirks and differences of drafting a graphic novel manuscript. Combining art and text can be a bit trickier than most novice writers assume, so be sure to avoid some of these pitfalls when drafting your graphic novel!
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Creating “Emily Saw a Door”
Author Mel Rosenberg and illustrator Orit Magia share a behind-the-scenes conversation about their creative journey making Emily Saw a Door. Discover how their collaboration brought Emily’s story to life through heartfelt text and striking, minimalist illustrations.
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From Picture Books to Chapter Books: Bridging the Gap
Author and illustrator Lauren Castillo reflects on her journey from struggling reader to celebrated creator, sharing how her love of pictures in books inspired her to create the illustrated chapter books she wished she’d had as a child. In her guest post, Lauren discusses the importance of bridging the gap between picture books and chapter books, and how her “Our Friend Hedgehog” series helps young readers make that transition with confidence.
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Artists: Save a Seat for Every Writer
Drawing is integral to the writing process for emergent and developing writers. How can teachers save a seat and meet the needs of their artists?
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Finding Inspiration: A Children’s Book Illustrator’s Journey
A journey through diversity, emotions, and nature: A children's book illustrator's endless pursuit of inspiration.
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The Smile Shop: A Tribute to Language and London
Award-winning author-illustrator Satoshi Kitamura details the inspiration for his picture book The Smile Shop. He explains how his introduction to the Spanish language planted the idea in his head and how the book is a tribute to the London he knew and loved when he was living there and developing his career as an artist.
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Food Writing, Community Building, and a Book Giveaway
Writing workshop thrives when a community of children come together as writers who know each other. The first six weeks of school is when we build community. Here's one way to build relationships and encourage kids to write about one of their favorite things simultaneously. Leave a comment on this post for a chance to win a copy of Eric Carle and Friends' newest book, What's Your Favorite Food?
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Let Them Color, Because…
How often do your students get to color? How often do your students get to illustrate their books in color? Do your students color with meaning and purpose? This post shares research and tips for making writing workshop more colorful (in any grade!).
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Step into a biography with an author-illustrator team + a giveaway
Every now and then a book comes along I want to tell everyone about. When I say everyone, I mean blog readers, my family, friends, teachers with whom I consult, and other parents. Today I'm sharing one of those books with you because this is as close as I can get to shouting out how… Continue reading Step into a biography with an author-illustrator team + a giveaway
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The Book Stack
An eclectic little stack today. Click on the images to go to a link about the book. I've been enjoying books I can read a little here and a little there. This book, however, is one I found myself engulfing. Even though there are 21 conversations with different illustrators, and even though I started with… Continue reading The Book Stack
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Opinion Writing in Kindergarten
In one of the kindergarten classrooms I've been working in, we've been learning: Writers share their opinions. This has been a unit of study inspired by the Common Core State Standards, which place a heavy emphasis on opinion writing. What does that look like in kindergarten, I wondered. So I've been trying out a few… Continue reading Opinion Writing in Kindergarten
