Make time for Family Literacy Day

2012/01/14 | kirsti

It’s so hard to make time. Oh, how well I know this. But, if you can, make some for Family Literacy Day on January 27, 2012. I actually did not know there was such a day, but, there I go, learning something new every day. It’s kind of the antithesis of International Talk Like A Pirate Day, which I did know about.

But all kidding aside, literacy is very, very important. So I’m all for days like this. And making days like this any every-day-of-the-year sort of habit. Read with your kids. Such a small thing, but so, so huge.

In celebration of Family Literacy Day, the Canadian Children’s Book Centre has compiled a list of 50 Canadian children’s books involving the subject of family. And one of them happens to be Catching Time, by author Rachna Gilmore and illustrated me. The list includes books for children age 4 up to young adult. But don’t stop at this list, there are tons of amazing books for kids – Canadian and beyond. However, since I’m rather fond of Canada, and my home province of B.C, here’s another list to explore – it’s all B.C books, organised by region. Abbotsford? Creston? Bella Coola? Williams Lake? Vancouver? There’s a book for that.

(also, Rachna has a teacher’s guide for Catching Time, available on her website.)

More about Family Literacy Day on the ABC Life Literacy Canada website & the Gov’t of Canada site.

new book beginnings ~ db

2011/12/242014/11/08 | kirsti

A small work-in-progress detail from one of the scenes in the book – fitting subject matter for this time of year.

I’m going to take a couple of days off working on the illustrations to enjoy a very rainy West Coast Christmas with my family. The view from my window today is very, very green. There are even a few blooms on the miniature rose bushes. It’s very unlike the view from the same window in 2008:

EOS 40D4785

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This post is part of a series documenting my process of illustrating the picture book Dream Boats (author Dan Bar-el, pub. Simply Read Books). The entire series of posts is archived here.

View a slideshow of all the work-in-progress images including first sketches, reference material, mistakes, redraws, and tests, to final art at a much larger size, here.

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new book beginnings ~ db

2011/12/092014/11/08 | kirsti

Another small part of a page spread, this time with a Malachite kingfisher. And I’ve just noticed couple of tangents that need fixing.

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This post is part of a series documenting my process of illustrating the picture book Dream Boats (author Dan Bar-el, pub. Simply Read Books). The entire series of posts is archived here.

View a slideshow of all the work-in-progress images including first sketches, reference material, mistakes, redraws, and tests, to final art at a much larger size, here.

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