Reading Is Fundamental

Imo, even better than [b:A Caldecott Celebration: Seven Artists and their Paths to the Caldecott Medal|1998529|A Caldecott Celebration Seven Artists and their Paths to the Caldecott Medal|Leonard S. Marcus|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1317065667s/1998529.jpg|2002332]. Forty artists re-create an image from one of their favorite childhood books, *and* write a mini essay about why that book is important to them, why they love to read and to create art, maybe something about their family.

Not only are there *forty* pictures here you're not going to see elsewhere, but you get to learn a bit about 40 artists, and you get introductions to both their work and to some classics you may have missed. ([b:The Color Kittens|237346|The Color Kittens|Margaret Wise Brown|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1386920622s/237346.jpg|2986158], anyone?)

Patricia Polacco, Jerry Pinkney, William Joyce, Dick Bruna, David McPhail, etc. etc....

The copy I found (by accident!) in my library was in adult nonfiction, Art @ 809. It's the size of an extra large picture book, and each artist gets a full-page spread, plus a mini-bio in the back. Includes introduction and index.… (más)

Reading Planet is a website promoting reading and writing to kid. It is sponsored by Reading is Fundamental, a non-profit children’s literacy organization. It has four main sections to the website: the Activity Lab, Game Station, Book Zone, and Express Yourself. In the Activity Lab, kids can select from a variety of activities including picking a story to print and illustrate, printing bookplates for their books, write a poem inspired by a painting, and color a picture online. The Game Station provides a number of fun games involving reading and writing, including matching English words to their translations in French, Spanish, Swahili, and Navajo, a bilingual grocery shopping game where you have to find the items on your list, and an alphabet soup word search available in English and Spanish. With the Book Zone, kids can watch and listen to animated songs and stories, read author and illustrators question and answer sessions, rate and review books, and view booklists. Lastly, in the Express Yourself area, kids can choose to help write a story, e-mail a postcard, write to the website’s mascot, and read an interview with this month’s reading superstar (Natalie Portman, currently) and past reading superstars. The website is brightly color as well as animated in place to appeal to kids. While RIF claims the site is designed to kids age 5-15, it seems more likely to be used by the younger kids ages 5-10.… (más)

Forty reputable children's book illustrators were asked to recreate a scene from their favourite childhood book and to explain why that book was meaningful to them. All are unquestionably talented, with many award winners in the lot, and there is a wide range of styles and approaches. I thought this was a great introduction to new-to-me talent, with close to 20 illustrators I'll be looking up at the library. Two current favourites, Peter Sís and Tony DiTerlizzi are featured, but I'll also want to get my hands on more work by Raúl Colón, David McPhail, Jerry Pinkney, William Joyce, Stephen Huneck, David Kirk, and Susan Jeffers, among others.… (más)