MaryAnn F. Kohl, process art and treasures of childhood

MaryAnn's Top 10 Favorite Caldecott Medal Books

So many Caldecott medal winners, since 1938! Each year as a child I would be delighted to hear the news. Which of the many books our teachers read to us or that we checked out from the library might WIN?!

Today I share some of my top favorites, and it was an easier task to choose than I anticipated. My favorites just leaped to the top! I chose only from the winners, not the honor books (which are also wonderful!). I admit that many of my favorites are those from my own childhood. I'm not as up on the current winners, say for the last 5 years or so, as I am on my own children's favorites or my personal favorites. None the less, here they are for you to see, and hopefully, you will select a few you may have missed and share them with the children in your lives.

MaryAnn's Top 10 Favorite Caldecott Medal Books  
(listed in random order) 

1.   The Snowy Day, by Ezra Jack Keats
2. Make Way for Ducklings, by Robert McCloskey

1. The Biggest Bear, by Lynd Ward
   
2. Owl Moon, by Jane Yolen; illustrated by John Schoenherr
3. The Little House, by Virginia Lee Burton
4. The Polar Express, by Chris Van Allsburg
5. Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, by William Steig
   
6. Where the Wild Things Are, by Maurice Sendak
   
7. Madeline's Rescue, by Ludwig Bemelmans
   
8.  Mrs. Rumphius, by Barbara Cooney
    
   

*** I am sure any one of us could tell a story of how a favorite book influenced our lives, or a happy memory of a book interacting with childhood, or an anecdote from teaching years with these books so deeply entwined in the lives of each child. Books are so powerful -- so wonderful -- so -- hugely important.

History of the Caldecott Medal: (http://www.ala.org)

The Caldecott Medal is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association, to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children published that year. It was named in honor of nineteenth-century English illustrator, Randolph Caldecott. Together with the Newbery Medal, it is the most prestigious American children's book award.

The Caldecott Medal was designed by Rene Paul Chambellan in 1937. The scene on the face of the medal is derived from Caldecott's illustrations for The Diverting Story of John Gilpin, in which Gilpin rides a runaway horse. The story was based on a poem from 1782 by William Cowper. The back of the medal shows another of Caldecott's illustrations, "Four and twenty blackbirds bak'd in a pie."

"Summer Fun: Together Again!"

I know we're in the middle of winter, but that won't stop me from sharing these summer ideas. Something to think about and imagine for the future. May and June and July will be here before we know it.

"Summer Fun: Together Again!"
( from Village Books Blog )

MaryAnn Faubion Kohl, Bellingham author/educator/consultant, is the award-winning author of 20+ art activity books for children. Her newest title is Art with Anything: 52 Weeks of Fun with Everyday Stuff. Please visit her website to enjoy free art activity samples from all of her books:www.brightring.com and be sure to visit MaryAnn’s new blog: maryannfkohl.typepad.com/blog/. 

 

Summer is an endless stretch of time for kids to fill. Make it special for them by doing things together. You won’t need anything unusual for these easy recipes and activities - just a little time and cheerful energy to fuel the fun. The bonus of these activities is two-fold: you are building memories together in the process, AND you are showing your kids how to be good parents one day!

When it’s hot and sunny and the kids are raring to go, have some fun in the sun!

•    Play “Tidal Wave!” Play a giggly blanket game that is oceans of fun! Two people hold the blanket, one on each edge. Another person stands in front of the blanket. The two holding the blanket say, “Tidal Wave, Tidal Wave, watch out, watch out, Tidal Wave!” Swing and float the blanket-tidal wave back and forth, moving forward towards the person in front of the blanket, and try to catch them in the blanket-tidal wave. Then move back like the wave receding. Repeat with a new tidal wave and try to catch the player again. This easy game has lots of squealing and laughing. 
•    When everyone is tired, flop on the blanket with a book or magazine for a little rest time. You’re going to need it! Now, get ready to play in the water!

Hot weather is water weather! Here are some ideas for active water fun in your own backyard:

•    Play in the sprinkler or with the hose (extra fun: eat watermelon first, and then wash off – and cool off - in sprinkler or hose)
•    Scrub it up! Kids love to wash and scrub, they really do! Fill buckets with soapy water, add sponges and rags, and let them wash their bikes, the swing set, and the lawn furniture. Have a hose ready for rinsing. Let the sun sparkle on the clean and shiny new world!
•    Play sponge toss - take soaked sponges and throw them at a designated target (that includes mom or dad!)
•    Squirt Mania Game! Fill a big squirt bottle with water. To play, everyone sits side by side on the ground with a plastic cup on their heads, backs to the “squirter”. The “squirter” takes the squirt bottle and tries to knock the cups off each person’s head. When all cups are off, the squirter takes his place in the line-up with a cup on his head, and a new person takes a turn at being the squirter. Everyone gets a turn!

Where there are kids, there must be food! Kids need protein to keep them powered, water to keep them hydrated, and fruits and veggies to keep them healthy.

One way to convince kids to eat and drink right is to pack a picnic. You can set-up your picnic as close as your own yard, or travel across town to a lake, mountain, park, or riverside for a picnic adventure. Everyone loves a picnic! Pack these easy recipes that travel well, or let the kids pack their regular old favorites like peanut butter and jelly, apples, and bottled juice. Most kids will enjoy making and packing the following:

•    Tuna Bun Boat: Separate hotdog buns, and gently scoop out the center of each half. Fill with tuna salad to make a little boat. Add grapes or pickles to the boat, or other tasty choices like olives or raisins. Wrap with plastic wrap. Pack a drinking straw and lettuce leaf with the boat. When it’s picnic time, poke the straw through the lettuce to make a sail, and poke it into the boat. 
•    Fruit and Cheese Kabobs: Cut fruit and cheese into chunks about 1’” square. Stack them on toothpicks in different combinations and patterns. Place in a plastic bowl with a snap-on lid for the picnic. 
•    Veggie Bundles: cut carrots, celery, and other veggies into strips. Broccoli stems trimmed of their tough outer core and cut into strips can be the mystery ingredient. No one can ever guess what they are, and they taste really good! Bundle a selection of veggie strips together, and tie with a string. Wrap in plastic, or place in a larger container with a snap-on lid.
•    Light Juice: squeeze lemons, limes, and oranges into plain drinking water. Do not add sugar or sweetener. Add slices of the same fruits for added flavor. Fill a plastic pitcher or thermos and bring along some cups for each picnicker. Refreshing - and good for you too!

The word summer simply means fun! Doing things together will make the days spin by and before you know it, fall will be in the air, kids in school, and memories will fill the hearts and mind of all.

As the song goes, “These are the days, my friend! I thought they’d never end….”

 

French kids try to figure out 80s technology: Fascinating!

Les technologies du passé. (Which means... Old Technologies!) How old does this make you feel? 

It's fascinating to watch the kids try to figure out what these objects are and what they were used for. They have excellent powers of deduction based on what they know. Hope you enjoy watching the video!  

 

 

ALA Award Winners Snubbed by TODAY SHOW in Favor of Snooki. Letter Writing & One Cool Contest Result!

For the first time in 11 years, the TODAY SHOW did not interivew the Newbery and Caldecott winners (Clare Vanderpool and Erin Stead) after the awards were announced. It seems they felt viewers would be better served hearing from a castmember of JERSEY SHORE. Here's a bit from PW's coverage of the story: At this blog, you will also find a letter template you can use, plus the address and names of producers of the Today Show, so that you can easily write your letter of shock and dismay!!

via scbwi.blogspot.com

Happy New Art Year: Art with Anything, Aluminum Foil

My newest book, Art with Anything,
has 52 weeks of art ideas, 5 days a week!
I call that a very Happy New [Art] Year! 

With 52 weeks of art projects using easy-to-find, everyday materials, Art with Anything provides a year of creativity, imagination, and fun for children ages 4-10! Organized alphabetically by material, each week features one everyday material (like address labels, fabric scraps, leaves, rocks) and provides five days of unique activities, increasing in complexity with each day. Art with Anything encourages recycling and reusing materials like buttons, cardboard, hole-punch dots, junk mail, masking tape,  sandpaper, and salt -- things found commonly in most homes or classrooms (or easy to collect).

Some examples? Children will love making “Glitter Photo Jars” or “Shake-It-Up-Bag Paintings,” and projects like “Family Finger Puppets” and “Fluff-N-Puff Mobiles”will keep them entertained for hours, stretching their imaginations. 

Whether at home or at school, in child care or an after-school program, exploring the process of creating art is one of the most compelling ways children learn, and Art with Anything keeps children learning creatively all year long! 

Did you know that children who participate in the arts
tend to do better in the academics?  

Below is a sample page spread for you to enjoy. The five days use aluminum foil in five different projects. Use one or use them all! The first day is easiest, and the fifth day is "fanciest", as the kids say. Day 4 is an open-ended craft, and all the other days are pure art. 

* These pages are copyright protected.
You are welcome to use them for your own reference,
but reprinting for distribution to others is not allowed.
Multiple copies are not allowed without permission.      
copyright restricted      © Gryphon House, Inc. 2011    
For permission, write to MaryAnn Kohl at maryann@brightring.com

If you can't read these images, write to me and I can email them to you in a larger size.
Or better yet, go to the library or bookstore for your own copy to enjoy.

HAPPY NEW {ART} YEAR!! Imagine all 52 weeks of art spread out before you and your kids!

Meet my family!

Thought you might like to meet my family.

This picture shows MaryAnn and her husband and daughters during the Christmas holiday.

Left to Right: Husband, Michael, Megan, MaryAnn, and Hannah. 

(Not shown, Megan's husband)

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to Everyone!
Now on to 2011 and all the wonder and joy and fun that awaits. 

Thank you for your support for children's art -- and my Pepsi Grant.

To all the people who supported my efforts with the Pepsi Refresh grant for the month of December, 2010:

Thank you so much for your support voting for my proposal to bring art to children and teachers around the country. I know it was a lot to ask and I appreciate the time each of you took to help me. I've learned a lot about how this type of voting process works!

Looking forward, I feel renewed to schedule more workshops for the coming year and I am inspired to really really really reach children and impact their creative lives! After all, that's what my teaching and writing career is all about and always has been.

My proposal, Bring hands-on art to kids who have no art programs in their schools finished #142. There were 1500 entries. Therefore, because I did not finish #1 or #2, I did not win the grant. I was competing for one of two spots in the $250K level in all 6 categories. It was a long shot for sure, but I was willing to try. The competition was tough at that grant level; competing against the entire National Humane Society was not an easy task for one person with a sincere following. We simply did not have the numbers they had, but we certainly had the loyal voters!

Pepsi Refresh Results
For a full listing of winners and rankings, go to:http://www.refresheverything.com/finalists</span>

The final results will be verified January 23.

 

Though I'm disappointed, I learned much and have a renewed desire to bring art to children. And I am simply astounded by the support of so many for my cause. Thank you. I am humbled.