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READING AND INTERACTIVE 

 

After reading The New Bicycle, discussing various images as we go, I will discuss what it is like to be an illustrator, and with the help of the children do an interactive drawing. For example:

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Bicycle Overload: How many things can we pile on Mari's bicycle? 

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Happy and Sad Lines: A line or a dot can make all the difference when communicating emotion visually.

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Illustrations Games: How do illustrators get ideas or how do they illustrate someone else's ideas. What is the relationship between the words and the pictures?

WRITING & ILLUSTRATING 

Grades K-2

 

This talk gives young students an idea of what a writer/illustrator does, the different challenges of writing novels and picture books, editing and revision in both writing and illustrating, and depending on the class, I can also speak about publishing and the submission process for writers and illustrators. 

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This can be tailored to the classroom's needs and timeframe. 

 

This interactive talk works best with smaller groups (1-2 classes at a time). 

ILLUSTRATOR DISCUSSION

Grades 2-12

 

This presentation focuses on illustration. It can be adapted to the age group.

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For younger students, the focus is on what an illustrator does.

For older students, the focus is on process and illustration as a career.

 

Some possible discussion points:

  • What is an illustrator?

  • Compare illustrating another author’s text with being an author illustrator?

  • Process of book illustration, with examples of each stage.

  • Revision: page turns, rhythm, and balance.

  • Look at earlier texts and dummies of The New Bicycle.

  • Read the published copy of The New Bicycle

  • How does an illustrator get a job? Show my portfolio, postcards.

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VISUAL LITERACY: Picture Book 

grades 2-4

 

This discussion uses picture books to discuss how we read images and the relationship between images and words. First, we look at Cendrillon, by Perrault, illus. Francine Vergeaux. Most children are familiar with a version of Cinderella so reading the images is easier than an unknown text. Then we look at De Nieuwe Fiets (The New Bicycle, in Dutch). Finally, we will look at The New Bicycle and discuss how the text works with the pictures but does not describe them.

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Optional: Matching image and words exercise.

 

This interactive talk works best with smaller groups (1-2 classes at a time). 

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