Libby Wendy M. L. - Make it! Write it! Read it!: simple bookmaking projects to engage kids in art and literacy

Copyright 2015 by Wendy M. L. Libby

All rights reserved

First edition

Published by Zephyr Press

An imprint of Chicago Review Press Incorporated

814 North Franklin Street

Chicago, Illinois 60610

ISBN 978-1-61373-030-0

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Libby, Wendy M. L.

Make it! Write it! Read it! : simple bookmaking projects to engage kids in art and literacy / Wendy M.L. Libby. First edition.

pages cm

Summary: Develops both art and literacy skills through the craft of bookmaking, inspiring elementary-aged children to read, write, and tell stories with their creations. Creative, fun, field-tested projects for teachers, parents, counselors, or other caregivers to work through with children ages 3-8 include 17 different blank book designs. These designs are then applied to 23 specific book projectsProvided by publisher.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-1-61373-030-0 (paperback)

1. Book designStudy and teaching (Elementary) 2. BookbindingStudy and teaching (Elementary) 3. ArtStudy and teaching (Elementary)Activity programs. 4. Language arts (Elementary)Activity programs. 5. Literacy Study and teaching (Elementary) I. Title.

Z246.L675 2015

372.52044dc23

2014036120

Cover and interior design: Monica Baziuk

Cover and interior photographs: Wendy M. L. Libby

Interior Illustrations: Jim Spence

Printed in the United States of America

5 4 3 2 1

To my husband, Bob,

and my sons,

Brandon and Bradley,

who believe in the power of creativity

and whose love and support

I could not do without.

PART 1
BLANK BOOK PROJECTS

PART 2
BOOKMAKING PROJECTS

M AKING ART AND telling stories are two basic means of self-expression and self-development in all cultures. They both require planning, developing, and organizing thoughts. Creating art develops social, emotional, cognitive, sensory, and motor skills. Art activities can provide abundant learning experiences for a child. Effective learning takes place when an art activity reinforces lessons with hands-on experiences. Facilitating learning and development in children requires creativitylearning should be entertaining and something they enjoy. Children learn through experience, and art is an experience that involves independent thinking, exploration, problem solving, creativity, and free expression. Many literacy-rich activities can be brought to a child through art.

A toddler will scribble long before he or she has the ability to write. For the young child, these scribbles are a way to explore cause and effect and to work on developing fine motor skills and eye-hand coordination. As they use these new skills to create projects, children begin to use art and literacy together, and learning becomes more personal and engaging. Using visual arts can also generate lively discussions. Children become enthusiastic and excited about their world through stories and illustrations, and they can reply creatively through art experiences. Connecting art and literacy allows children to practice creativity while discovering a meaningful way to use language arts.