Knock, Knock – Who’s there? – It’s David Ezra Stein!

The Mazza Fall Conference continues with yet another Calecott winner.  David Ezra Stein confessed that his 2011 Caldecott was inspired by a knock-knock joke.  Maybe you’ve heard it.  It goes:

Knock, Knock

Who’s there?

Interrupting chicken

Interrupting chicken….

Bock, Bock, Bock!

Perhaps it’s funnier in person.

But nothing’s funnier than listening to David Ezra Stein read Interrupting Chicken in person.  With the fascination of children hearing a favorite story for the umpteenth time, this audience of teachers, librarians and college students sat raptly drawn to David’s chicken voices.

David introduced us to an illustrative technique known only to him as “Stein-lining.”  See him demonstrate this method used in his newest book Because Amelia Smiled here.

David Ezra Stein challenges the audience with “What is it?”, a drawing perspective game from his childhood.