Picture This: The Collage Art of Lois Ehlert

Maker March: Make Your Own Artistic Autobiography (Ages 5-11)

Usher in March with the colorful art of Lois Ehlert as we hear the story of how she became a children's book illustrator - then use pictures and scraps to make a collage of our own lives. Feel free to bring in photographs and/or magazine clippings of things that are important in your life to use in your creation.

Display: a selection of Ehlert's books for kids to browse as they arrive.

Read: The Scraps Book: Notes from a Colorful Life. S & S/Beach Lane. 2014.

Why are you an artist? Where do you get your ideas? How do you make your books? Haven’t you always wanted to ask collage artist Lois Ehlert those very questions? The Scraps Book takes you behind-the-scenes to reveal the answers and the secrets of her picture book- making process.

Though the author/illustrator doesn’t have her own website, you can read her biography and interviews on multiple sites. Check out the publisher’s website or watch a video interview on Reading Rockets. For inspiration on Ehlertlike projects visit Be Creative: Illustrate or a Pinterest board. The 100 Scope Notes blog features the new title on its recent nonfiction post. Though you don’t need to wait until her November 9 birthday, Happy Birthday Author provides ideas and resources for an author study.  from: http://www.slj.com/2014/03/collection-development/jlg-booktalks/stellar-nonfiction-for-young-readers/#respond

Craft: Have a variety of magazines & construction paper scraps for kids to use for their collages.  If they brought materials, they can use them too.

Music: Lively jazz album is fun.

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