I saw things about this book all over the place last year, and never checked it out.
The cover illustration has always intrigued me though.
Glad the library had it; I love it!
Title: Drawing from Memory
Published by: Scholastic Press, 2011
Written by: Allen Say
Illustrated by: Allen Say
In one word: Whoa.
In one sentence: The story of how the author became a cartoonist and the events during his childhood.
Favorite pages:
Likes:
- the variations in the pictures in the book. There are photographs, paintings, pen and ink, and pencils.
- the relationship between text and picture. A great balance, even though it’s a long story.
- the story! It is simply amazing and you need to read it!
- some pages have one sentence and a huge picture….really draws you in.
Learns:
- picture book biographies are awesome!
- You can play around with the picture book format and illustrate/lay out the page in so many different ways!
- save those pictures of you as a child…you never know if you’ll need them for your picture book biography in the future!
- tell your story. This is one that only Allen Say could tell, and I’m so glad he did.
There we go.
Whew.
Off to help my brother with his outdoor laser tag company.
What did you read today?
Here’s the bookshelf:
Hope everyone has a good Saturday!
Enthusiastically yours,
Kathy Ellen and Singe Singe
Happy Saturday, Kathy! I love picture book biographies also…one of my book for your Challenge was “Me…Jane” which is kind of a biography of Jane Goodall when she was a child. I think kids love these book too…we all need great role models, right?
Today I read “Press Here” by Herve Tullet. This is a picture book that breaks all of the “fules” of picture book writing. It has 58 pages, not the requisite 32. I don’t quite see a problem or conflict…basically, there are colored dots that the reader (child) is asked to press or tilt the book this way or that way and the colored dots on the next page change position or size, depending on what the instructions were. There is no main character…well, I guess the dots are the main character(s), and they are ‘influenced’ by the reader. Quite an amazing interactive book with no moving parts or electronics. I think young kids will LOVE this book…and it definitely encourages sequence thinking and action/reaction/consequences thinking. Bravo to Mr. Tullet!
I LOVE PRESS HERE!
Yes, enough to warrant all caps!
And exclamation points.
I’ve made several adults read it aloud and participate, in various bookstores.
They ALWAYS clap so silently, and I say, “No, you have to clap LOUDER!”
That is so funny…I can just see it!!!
What a great book for young artists/creative kids!
The book I read today was one of those books that makes you stop and really think. Although it’s only explicitly explained in the introduction and not in the text, it’s about a little native Canadian girl who is soon to be sent away to residential school. It is SHI-SHI-ETKO by Nicola I. Campbell, illustrated by Kim LaFave. It is lyrically told, and beautifully illustrated in warm fall colors. The emphasis is on the little girl storing up all the experiences and sights and sounds around her to sustain her through the long year before she will see her family again. I will definitely be featuring this one for Perfect Picture Book Friday — likely the Friday after Thanksgiving in November.
Beth, this sounds BEAUTIFUL! I’ll look for it in your perfect picture book friday post!
One of the books we read tonight was CDC? by William Steig. Last year we read CDB? (See the bee?) and my kids loved it. CDC? (See the sea?) was just as much fun. The text for the picture book is just a series of letters/numbers, but when said aloud they actually sound like words and a sentence. My kids loved trying to figure out what the sentence was. The best part about this book is that the illustrations can be a huge help to understanding the sentence — just like illustrations are a huge help in telling a story or helping a young reader read the words on the page.
Here is one to try:
D L-F N D 4-S
(The elf in the forest).
Eric,
These look like fun books. Have you read Wumbers? Kind of the same type of reading.
Eric,
My mother LOVED William Steig when I was little, so I’ve read almost all of his books. I ADORE Dr. DeSoto. When I was little I wished that I could marry someone as clever as him! (still looking!)
I read these books over and over again and loved them.
I remember reading them with my siblings and trying to figure them out.
Thanks for reminding me about these awesome books!
I spent the day today in the Hudson River Valley and Sleepy Hollow area. We traveled to Croton-on-the-Hudson to see The Blaze… thousands of carved jack o lanterns on display. Totally cool. Check out images online.
Anyway, in the spirit of the day, I read PUMPKIN TROUBLE by Jan Thomas. It’s so cute. A duck tries to carve a pumpkin for his friends and gets stuck inside his creation. His friends think he is a pumpkin monster. Very wacky and funny. Simple text and a fun read.
Marcie,
I love the fall and especially Halloween so I think I’m going to have to make a trip to the library and check this book out!
This book sounds so fun!
And I’m jealous about where you got to spend the day…I grew up in Northern NY (about a half hour south of Canada!) and the thing I miss the most, besides family, is the fall season.
I like Allen Say’s books. His pb biography sounds neat! Today I read The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson, a very fun pb in which a mouse is very wise in tricking forest animals into not eating him! Mouse’s solution is brilliant!
Mouse sounds like a character I could get behind, Tina! I think I’ve heard of this book, but not sure. Have to look for it though!
Hi Kathy!
Drawing From Memory looks like a great book!
Today I read The Underpants Zoo which was written and illustrated by Brian Sendelbach. Of course, you just know kids are going to giggle over the subject matter and the cute illustrations add to a fun read. I especially like how the author literally brings the story to a halt by having the anteater have ants in it’s pants which causes the whole zoo to be shut down for fumigation. This is probably a book to put on my Christmas list this year…;~)
Donna L Martin
http://www.donnalmartin.com
http://www.donasdays.blogspot.com
Underpants Zoo!
Reminds me of a rhyming story I wrote so long ago for a few children I knew, centering heavily around underpants…
I’ll have to check this out. Thanks, Donna!
This book is one that I hadn’t heard of before. Thanks for sharing!
For Saturday, I read OH, NO! by Candace Fleming and illustrated by Eric Rohmann. I adore Eric’s style and that’s what encouraged me to pull it off the shelf and read it. The spreads are dynamic and the text has a nice rhythm to it. The ending really ties everything together, but I won’t write about that here so I don’t spoil it for you. 🙂
This sounds great, Priscilla!
I’ve heard of this book….and I ADORE CANDACE FLEMING.
I think I’m going to do one of her books on here, even if it is 2010..it’s just so sweet. I bet you’ve already read it though.
Guess we’ll have to wait and see 🙂