We had another terrific creative writing class for ages 5-8 with author-illustrator Ashlyn Anstee, who created the books Are We There, Yeti? and No, No, Gnome!
Kids had a great time making up a funny character with crazy attributes, and coming up with a problem for him and a solution, the beginnings of a story! They also learned to draw a garden. The experience of meeting an author-illustrator was very fun for the kids. They got to see early drafts of Ashlyn’s artwork and how a picture book comes together. Ashlyn talked about her process for creating the art, first drawing it, then painting the colors and then scanning the painted picture into her computer and drawing the outlines using the computer.
Kids were entered in a raffle for three copies of Ashlyn’s books, and anyone who didn’t get a book got to pick a little prize from our treasure chest. (That’s why you see some of the kids with vampire teeth. Or… Yeti teeth?)
Ashlyn has another book coming out soon, and is at work on a middle grade novel. So be on the lookout for more great things from her!