Rafael López is an award-winning artist and children’s book illustrator. In this interview, Rafael talks about the important role drawing played in his childhood, the influence of his Mexican heritage on his work, and the inspiration behind some of his favorite illustrations.
RAFT is a writing strategy that encourages students to write creatively, to consider a topic from a different perspective, and to gain practice writing for different audiences.
Meet Raina Telgemeier, the author and illustrator of best-selling graphic novels for middle grade readers, including Smile, Drama, Ghosts, and Sisters. Many of Raina’s books are autobiographical and deeply personal, especially her 2019 novel, Guts, which explores with honesty and compassion her own struggles with anxiety.
Raina has also adapted and illustrated graphic novel versions of Ann M. Martin’s Baby-Sitters Club series. Her 2019 book, Share Your Smile, is a young writer’s guide to telling your own story, full of writing prompts and idea builders.
In this interview, Raina talks about keeping an illustrated diary growing up, advice she’d give her middle school self, why everyone has a story to tell, how she creates her graphic novels, and much more.
A program to help families build and sustain reading routines in their homes, with special attention to highest-risk for educational failure. The program helps families understand why sharing books regularly matters; excite children and families with award-winning books each week that build the book sharing routine; and establish connections to libraries to maintain literacy habits at home.
School is not the only arena in which children’s minds need to be nurtured and expanded. Equally vital is the kind of education and brain building that a student undergoes at home.
