Writing and illustrating

It was towards the end of a particularly difficult day (chores, bad weather, snuffles) that Calvin up and declared he was going to write a poem and illustrate it. When he finished I suggested that he write a story about the same topic to feel the difference in composition. He illustrated that as well, and the next day he proceeded to write more poem and story combos with fun illustrations. I love this new found confidence not just in writing, but in creating.

The A, A, B, A down the left side is his plan for the rhyming scheme.

Note that the pig is clearly singing. *love

As he was drawing this one he made a line for the mat and told me that he knew that was how a mat would look from the side, but he wanted people to be able to see the pattern on the mat so he was drawing "a different perspective." *more love

I am linking this to the wonderful Saturday's Artist.

Sick day–art in bed

A sore throat, a sore head. A bed piled high with armfuls of favorite books and art supplies. An entire afternoon with no phone, no distractions, just books, imaginations, and snuggles. We read book after book and created our own illustrations for them. We spent the entire afternoon right there, book after book, picture after picture. I was tired and achy and this was a better way than I could ever have imagined to spend the afternoon, having fun together and still getting the requisite rest.

Time Flies

Great Lakes Great Ships

We spent a good hour with the D'Aulaire's Norse Gods and Giants (now their Book of Norse Myths)

And because we're going to see African Sky on stage tomorrow, Bringng the Rain to Kapiti Plain.

And of course we couldn't forget our newest Oz, The Scarecrow of Oz.

I'm linking to Saturday's Artist at Ordinary Life Magic. I love the virtual parade of art there.

Illustrating Oz (spoilers included)

We are now reading the Wonderful Wizard of Oz. If you are anything like me you will read that title and think "what? seriously? at age 4?" because I know that's what went through my head when I found it on a list of read aloud books for grades k-3. The real problem is that I had only ever seen the movie, which is definitely not for grade k, maybe not even for grade 3, but the book is a completely different animal. Sure there have been deaths I had to explain (most notably that of the wicked witch of the east) and some other bizarre conversations that have taken place (evil is a difficult thing to define) but on a whole the book is really kid friendly and is much longer and more involved than the two youth books we'd read previously, which is a really good thing.

It is going to take us nearly two weeks to get through the wonderful Oz, and in order to enhance comprehension and immersion in the book Calvin has been illustrating the events as they happen. I'm looking forward to the picture book we'll have when we are done.

Aunt Em's house (complete with portriats of Dorothy, Uncle Henry, Aunt Em, and Toto), and the house being carried away by the cyclone (as it is called in the book).

The house in Munchkinland, and the three munchkins who come to thank Dorothy for freeing them from the Wicked Witch of the East.

The scarecrow does have a body, but it's yellow so it's hard to see here.

If you haven't read the book the Kalidahs will be as unknown to you as they were to me, but Calvin (and Mr. Baum) would describe them as having bear bodies and tiger heads and they are a momentary terror to our five familiar travelers. Where Calvin and Mr. Baum would disagree is the smiles, but Calvin gives all creatures smiles in his illustrations—his world, after all, is a completely happy place.

We'll get back to you when we finish the book later this week.