Picture Books to the Rescue

[image error]My nine-year-old son feels he can't draw well enough for book reports, so he's been using PowerPoint to create the visuals for them. He's so proud, sitting there with that final report in his hand and big grin on his face. His teacher has been wonderfully supportive about his seeking an avenue of artistic expression that empowers him rather than shuts him down. Last night, I told my sweet fella that he could get mighty creative with digital art.  I showed him the picture book Cook-a-Doodle-Doo, for which illustrator Janet Stevens scanned things like cheese graters to make background textures. Then I showed another picture book, The Great Fuzz Frenzy, for which Janet scanned a tennis ball. [image error]My son and his brothers kept trying to feel the fuzz in the book, the technique was that alluring.

And that inspiring.

My son is so excited now to start scanning things into the computer. And I am excited for him. So today, I send out a cosmic "Thank you!" once again to picture books and the people who create them. Yet another fabulous "A-ha!" moment for a young mind seeking a path to personal expression.