I’m sharing our top favorite Charlotte Mason inspired picture books. Living books that are beautiful and are free of twaddle.
I love using picture books as inspiration for children’s art projects. Over the past 13 years I have curated a a massive list of project ideas and lesson plans. Here is my growing list of picture books and coordinating art projects for kids: A Color of His Own by Leo Lionni Abe Lincoln’s Dream by Lane Smith
You can teach anything with children's picture books: Science. History. Writing. Math. Cooking. And Art. Especially art. Because picture books are an artform. I'll be writing a Five Day Series this week about connecting children's literature to art. Monday through Thursday I will be sharing four art project ideas inspired by children's picture books. On Friday I have …
Books Come Alive for Children With Picture Book Activities. Crafts, questions, journal pages, printables activities for your favorite books!
Book Inspired Kids Crafts Roundup - I Heart Crafty Things A big hello today to all of you lovely Glued to My Crafts fans! My name is Rachel and I blog
Before having my third (and FINAL!) child and finding that I no longer have time to brush my hair let alone do anything else, I used to run a 6 week evening course on how to write and illustrate children's books. Being a fan of reuse, recycle and re-hashing old material I thought I might blog the course so that anyone out there who might be interested in taking up this noble profession (which according to my husband amounts to little more than 'colouring in') can glean what they may from my musings. The first three weeks are how to write a picture book, the following three are how to illustrate one. Obviously this is, at best, a brief introduction to the discipline but I hope it might serve as a starting point for a few who may have the talent and inclination but be a little lost on where to begin. I was at that point 14 years ago when I started self-teaching myself by reading just about every article I could lay my hands on and quizzing any professional who didn't take out a restraining order. There will be homework! If you chose to do it, great, if you want to send it to me for my perusal please do and if I get the time to get back to you then we'll both be doing well. Picture Book Writing Course Part 1 What Makes A Good Picture Book It's Tough! True story; Dr Seuss was at a dinner party when he met a Brain surgeon, the brain surgeon said ‘oh, are you that guy who writes those little books for children? I’ve always thought that when I had a free afternoon one Saturday I’d love to write one. Dr Seuss replied, ‘ ‘Ahh yes, and I’ve always thought when I had a free afternoon one Saturday I’d love to do a little brain surgery’ I'm not suggesting that what I do is brain surgery (it's actually more like rocket science;) but there is a misapprehension that it’s easy to write for children and get published. I thought so! Until the harsh realities and rejection letters beat my optimistic spirit violently down. The truth is that writing picture books is a particular artform with it’s own rules and requirements - it’s a craft that takes a long time to master - (and clearly I am in no way near to mastering it yet). It is also an EXTREMELY competitive field. I spoke with a small publisher a few years back who told me they get 100 unsolicited (i.e. not through an agent) manuscripts a week - of which 2 a year might get published. It took me 2 years of hard slog to get illustration work and 8 years of writing picture book manuscripts before one was published - and this is quicker than many. So why do so many people think they can do it? 1) Every parent/grandparent/teacher/aunt with a grain of imagination has made up stories to adoring children and thinks they would be good enough to be published. Unfortunately kids love the attention of anyone making up stories for them whether the stories are any good or not. We all have the ability to make up a story, but this doesn't make us all writers. I can make beans on toast - doesn’t make me a chef! 2) People think their book will change the world! People often get into writing children’s books with projects they are truly passionate about - pets, family anecdotes or memories, or a moral they wish to impart and then take it terribly personally when they hit their first wall and refuse to compromise or take advice. 3) People think it’s easy because unlike a novel, it’s short! But just because there aren’t many words doesn’t mean there isn’t much story. Children's author Mem Fox once compared writing picture books to ‘writing War and Peace in Haiku’. A slight exaggeration, maybe, but one of the most difficult books I've ever written is Zoo Girl - and it's told in only 20 words! But trying to get the story right first, with emotional ups and downs, cliff-hangers, a strong beginning, middle and end, character depth etc. and then condense that down and tell as much as I could in the pictures rather than the words was an immense challenge. It's easier to ramble. As this blog entry is proving. 4) People think it pays well - true if you have a big hit like The Gruffalo but this is exTREMEly unlikely and many books go out of print after their first print run so the writer gets no royalties and may be paid an advance of just £1000 - £3000. Why do most people fail? The fact is that most would-be children’s writers have no idea what they’re doing. They simply haven’t taken the time to learn about writing for children. Let's face it, you wouldn't try to fly a fighter jet without first taking flying lessons. So why do so many people think they can write a children's book without first learning how? (I admit this is a terrible analogy - no one, so far as I know, has ever died a horrible plummeting death from trying to write a picture book without the proper training, but you get my point.) So what’s the secret? Simple - In order to get your picture book published, you MUST find out what publishers are after and then give them EXACTLY what they want. And, the good news is, children's book publishers are desperate for good children's books, because, as I’ve said, most of what they receive is rubbish! Children’s books like anything else are a business (a really fun one, but a business none the less) and as such we need to be creating products which will be appealing to the target audience - not just the children (although they should ALWAYS be at the forefront of our thinking) but the publishers, editors, booksellers that all come before a child even sees it. Hopefully in this course you'll get a strong idea of what publishers want, and how to create it and present it to them. It's also worth saying at this point that if you can overcome the odds, do the research and break into the business - it's one of the most rewarding, enjoyable and fun jobs around! This first session is What Makes a Good Picture Book? - If you don’t know this, how are you going to create your own one? The only way to do this is to research - know your market, love your market, visit libraries and children's departments in book shops, start collecting picture books that catch your eye (charity shops are a great source). If you don’t love children’s books, if you think they're beneath you, if you're scared of being stared at as you spend hours in the children's section of the library, leave now, this profession is not for you. Different kinds of picture books: I regularly get emails from people who have written 'a children's book' and when I ask what kind of children's book and what age it's aimed at they're a bit stumped, or the material in no way goes along with the age they tell me it's aimed at so you need to learn the difference between... mass-market activity books, board and novelty books, Early Readers, picture books, YA novels etc. etc. You'll get to know these by visiting those libraries and bookshops again and seeing what's in each section, holding them, looking at the blurb on the back, etc. In this course it's high-end trade Picture Books we're interested in - these are generally - 32pages, 12-14 full colour spreads, with full-colour, quality illustrations, and original tales told in less than 600 words. But within picture books there are of course different genres, for example; Humourous (eg. Dave, The Monkey With the Bright Blue Bottom, Olivia, Naked Trevor) Action adventure (eg. Gruffalo, Where the wild things are, ) Snuggly bed-time story (eg. Guess How Much I Love you, I love you Daddy, Cub's First Winter) and lots more besides, and many books of course span the whole lot. But it's worth thinking about what kind of book you want to write and which market you'd be aiming at. Characters Your picture book will need a main character and generally these are; Children - the same age or a little older than the target audince (which for a picture book is usually between 3-6 but can be much wider) Animals - usually young animals or an older animal with a child-like outlook Creatures - monsters, fairies, robots etc. Adults - very rarely the main character (Percy the Park keeper is an exception but he looks quite chubby and child-like! There are other notable exceptions but i think best to avoid as your main character) ok to include parents, teachers, doctors etc. - Adults children have come across in their own lives. Inanimate Objects - Again, there are notable exceptions but generally I would avoid writing your picture book about Simon the Stapler or Billy Banana. It's old-fashioned, it's dull, it's of little interest to publishers. The important thing is your picture book needs at least one character the child reader can identify with - so whether it's a robot monkey or bespectacled duck make sure they make choices and deal with emotions like a 5 year old child would. So what makes a book work well? THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS TO EVERY RULE HERE by generally a great picture book must be; Original - publishers are looking for a new hook or concept Well written - we'll go into more detail about this next week but each word must be perfect. Beginning, middle and end - Straight in, exciting progression, pleasing ending Fit nicely into 12/13 spreads with action on each spread Attractive and entertaining to children and adults Children/main character solving their own problems, not adults stepping in to 'save the day' A Simple idea told clearly Engaging characters GREAT ending We will be looking at this list and going through it in more detail next week but for now; Homework! 1. Look at a selection of (fairly recent) picture books and as you read them and study the illustrations ask the following questions; What kind of book is it (funny, adventure etc.) What’s the basic plot? What is the atmosphere of the book and how is that conveyed? Why and how do the images and text work together? Is the book appropriate for its audience? Why? Is there a character the child can relate to? What is the child meant to gain from the book, if anything? Is there an underlying message or moral to the book? How does the narrative work - is there a definite beginning, middle and end? 2. Come up with 3 vague picture book ideas - include a main character and a rough plot line. Next week - How to Write a Picture Book
This book-inspired Mouse Shape Craft is a fun way for kids to learn about shapes and work on listening comprehension and fine motor skills.
Whether you have a kindhearted kid, or you are hoping to influence your child's developing interpersonal skills, these picture books about kindness introduce your child to engaging characters and story lines demonstrating kindness in action.
Using wordless shorts in language therapy gives you so many options and your clients will LOVE it! Links to the best wordless videos!
If you've always wanted to write books for kids but were unsure how to begin or the best steps to follow, we've got you covered. Learn how to write a children's book with our detailed guide and step-by-step instructions.
Have an idea for picture book that's ready for publishing? Here's the complete breakdown for how to publish a picture book when you're ready!
Use this picture book list to increase literacy skills and comprehension of science concepts in your grade 4 5 6 classroom.
Discover fun and easy Eric Carle activities to do with your child! Here are a few ways to create art, games and activities inspired by the popular children's picture book author and illustrator Eric Carle.
Ready to build your STEM library with the best picture books? Start Here! Check out my Top 10 all time favorite read alouds for elementary STEM
For every occasion, browse our photo book ideas for inspiration on how to capture special memories. From family to fun vacations, we've got it all.
This is a fun worksheet to practice the Past Simple or the Past Continuous. Students look at the pictures and fill in the gaps with one of the linking words in the box in order to complete the story.
Looking for preschool books without the twaddle? Want to expose your children to quality literature with wonderful text and beautiful illustrations? In this post, I’m sharing 41 of our favorite picture books for children ages 3-5. These are all living books that you won’t mind reading over and over again. Books that not only your … Charlotte Mason-Inspired Preschool Book List Read More »
Introducing your students to figurative language can be fun with picture books. Use these figurative language activities to help your students practice.
When you've decided to write a children's book, it's easy to wonder how to actually get the art for the book. If you're an artist, then this might not be a concern at all but lots of picture book authors are not. So how do you get your picture book illustrated when you can barely draw a stick figure yourself? It's actually easier than you'd think! In this post, I've broken it down into two easy steps.
Children's books about perseverance and determination that encourage growth mindset, grit and working towards goals and meeting challenges.
Explore the BEST picture books that teach about Art or Inspire Art Making for kids to use for art infused lessons in your classroom, to teach art history and about making art and the creative process to your art students, or to use for creating an art-themed section in your home library. This comprehensive list explores famous artists, artworks, and the art making process through fun and creative, easy-to read picture books. It will provide you with ideas and inspiration for creating art lessons and projects that you can pair with these amazing books to help you teach about art making in depth in your classroom.
Photography is all about perspective - the person behind the camera can use their imagination to tell different stories about a subject from a variety of angles. Perspective gives depth to an image and can make a two-dimensional photograph feel like a three-dimensional scene.
"A painting is not about an experience. It is an experience."
A veritable Detroit landmark, the 38-story Louis Kamper-designed Book Tower was the city’s tallest structure when it opened in 1926, and transformed Washington Boulevard into an upscale destination. Today, following a $400 million restoration and […]
This giant list of art projects based on children's books will help your students connect art to literature and make some fantastic artwork in the process.
Print the cute and free "my little book of opposites" with images to color, cut, and glue! This is a perfect companion to Opposites by Sandra Boynton.
A blog about how a failed painting made me rethink the theories of composition in my painting of Donegal, Ireland.
Good morning! These so easy to make DIY book ledges will help organize your kiddo’s books without taking up valuable …
Enjoy these stories for kids! 52 weeks of nature inspired picture books for kids. Free printable so you can check them off as you read them
So much Twitter love from my post about my walls this year. Y’all know how to make a girl feel good! I don’t have my lesson plans ready, and am not entirely sure what I’m doing on…
These inspiring picture books about respect teach the importance of respect and cultivate a culture of acceptance and kindness.
