We’re going to be upfront with you. Although we promised to look into the work of five author-illustrators during this camp, the energy the students put into their art projects meant that we only had time for four. But they were an amazing four! Over the course of the week we looked at the work of Oliver Jeffers, Phoebe Gilman, Mo Willems and Audrey and Don Woods. Each day we worked on an art project inspired by the author-illustrator we studied. From canvas board collages inspired by Oliver Jeffers stick characters to shrink art necklaces featuring Mo Willems’ famous pigeon, the whimsical artwork created in this camp knocked our socks off.
This was a very kind group. We ere struck by their empathy for the characters in the stories. When we asked whether the witch in Heckedy Peg should die, Sofia said, “No. She won’t do it again.”
We spent time each day talking about the defining characteristics of each author’s work. We loved how, by the end of the week, we could say, “Oliver Jeffers” and the students would instantly say, “The one who does stick legs”. On the last day of class we presented books to the students in random order, asking them which author-illustrator created them. They guessed every one correctly, giving the author’s first and last names!
Perhaps the lasting contribution of the authors we studied this week was most accurately summed up by Gabriel who said, “I’m going to tell my stuffies who talk to me when it’s night time that Phoebe Gilman is dead, but we still have her books.”
