In lieu of a mug or gift card, this year my daughter and I gave a book to the classroom for her holiday teacher's gift. The book was The Little Red Hen as adapted by Ed and Rebecca Emberley. The fact that Ed Emberly is still publishing fantastic children's books almost 50 years after he first started out--43 years after winning the Caldecott Medal for Drummer Hoff--is astonishing, really, given how transient fads in children's literature have become. The added fact that he now publishes with his equally talented daughter makes me reflect on the importance of tradition and family--because, you know, it is a time to reflect on those very things.
What could be more traditional and seasonal than a child-focused website? Ha! At edemberley.com, you can have no end of drawing and crafty fun. Emberley is a master of teaching the basic principles of drawing (shapes, line, colour) by breaking them down into their fundamental components. And when I say "fundamental," I really mean "FUNdamental." Try doing some thumbprint drawings, for example, or maybe make a garden scene using only 3 identical circles. Be diverted by the Holiday Activities section of the website. In short, enjoy. According to the home page, the site is currently being revised so make sure you come back again in the new year to see what other goodies might be in store.
And if you still have a little holiday shopping to do yourself, let me recommend The Little Red Hen or last year's Chicken Little.
Sue, you and Ed E. have just saved my sanity with these crafty activities! My Brownie Scout co-leader has taken a powder on me and we've got six more meetings but only three more badges to earn.
ReplyDeleteI've been a fan of the thumbprints since I was a kid...
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