Once Upon A Time...Book Making.

My hubby and I were away for about ten days recently and when we got back our little five year old grand-daughter was eager to re-connect with us.  One of the things that she wanted to show me specifically was some books she made at school (daycare).  She carefully showed me each page and what she had glued on and what she had drawn and what she had written.  Seemingly she wasn't done with book making and wanted me to get together with her to make more books.  Her Mother is currently doing PhD studies and needs every scrap of quiet time to work on her own writing.  So little girl came to Nanny and Papa's house for a few hours and we got right to it. First she insisted that we each have 3 sheets of paper with "nothing on eiwer side".   Then she had to show me how to carefully fold the paper and tape it just so.


We worked on our books for an hour and a half without a break and guess what?  She talked to me all about her drawings and ideas for an hour and a half.  Without a break.  Wow, this girl is focussed and hard working!


She wanted to draw a climbing tree.  We talked about how she could draw one. Mostly I just listened as she formulated her plan. Starting with the trunk which she carefully colored in, she moved onto the branches.  She told her mom later "I drew one branch out that way and the rest went crazy!"


She drew a Mom with a worried face.  She told me the Mom was worried because her kids were climbing in the tree.  She had three kids Red, Pink, and Yellow.  Pink was only two years old and that was why the Mom was scared.   The Mom had her eye on Pink cause it was the littlest.


She thought carefully about how to draw the leaves on her tree.  We tried out a couple of different patterns on a scrap piece of paper.  She told me as she was drawing, "This is how I'm drawing the leaves Nanny."  She also made a big pile of leaves beside the tree for the children to jump into when the got to the top branch.


"First they climb up here," and then she explained to me how each of the children were holding on to the branches.  



"They hook their arms around like this."


I don't think that Mama had to worry at all, those kids had their risk taking all under control!!

I loved making books with this little author/illustrator.  She has a lot of confidence in her work and loves to think and draw and tell stories.

She and I read a lot of books together as do her parents and her Papa.  When I read with her I always name the Author and Illustrator and point out when the Author and Illustrator are the same person.  We always think that is amazing.  We notice the kind of art the illustrator creates and how they choose to draw or paint certain things.  She knows what a table of contents is and she knows about chapters.  I think there is great value in enjoying books with children when they are young.  

When you read to young children they will learn:

*basic speech skills
*the basics of how to read a book
*communication skills
*thinking skills
*enhanced concentration skills
*helps develop positive associations with books
*and more!

Apart from the all the great reasons to read with your young children, it is an awesome time to cuddle in with little bodies that grow way too quickly!









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