The renowned Caldecott Honoree and illustrator of Chicka Chicka Boom Boom provides a moving, intimate, and inspiring inside look at her colorful picture book career.
Lois Ehlert always knew she was an artist. Her parents encouraged her from a young age by teaching her how to sew and saw wood and pound nails, and by giving her colorful art supplies. They even gave her a special spot to work that was all her own.
Today, many years and many books later, Lois takes readers and aspiring artists on a delightful behind-the-scenes tour of her books and her book-making process. Part fascinating retrospective, part moving testament to the value of following your dreams, this richly illustrated picture book is sure to inspire children and adults alike to explore their own creativity.
* "Ehlert offers a highly visual presentation of her roots as an artist and her process as a writer and illustrator of picture books. . . . Simply written and inviting, the text leads readers to understand her approach to creating books as well as her hands-on involvement with art throughout her life. . . visually riveting. Creative children will find inspiration and encouragement here."
"Scraps—of art supplies, of finished illustrations, of techniques and of memory—overlap in this blend of memoir and artistic how-to. . . . Tackling common questions, she frames art as eminently doable. . . . Readers will scurry to collage household and backyard tidbits; pair this with Ehlert’s other work for maximum satisfaction."
* "Ehlert employs her signature collage technique and images from her past work to explore her lifelong relationship with creating art in this open and encouraging picture-book memoir. . . . It's an inviting inside look at Ehlert’s extensive backlist and how the books were made, with nearly every page making it clear to readers that this kind of creation is well within their reach."
* "In a generously illustrated picture book memoir, Ehlert speaks directly to her audience.... Ehlert emerges as a woman who lives a good life surrounded by the objects and colors that make her happy. She wants the same for her readers, ending the book with "I wish you a colorful life!""
