Children's Laureate

Flights of Fancy is a fantastic introduction of 10 well-known authors and illustrators in the field of children's literature. With short "chapters" and fun graphics, each highlighted person tells the reader how they are inspired to be creative. Photographs and samples of works in progress give the reader an insider's view of how books are made. The advice given is encouraging and promotes writing and art. The book includes 20 Ideas for Creative Projects to jump start future creative fun. The book ends with funny author caricatures and short biographies. This is a great book for budding creatives!… (mer)

This is a wonderful slim book to inspire children (and adults as well!). I've never seen a book like this. Ten brilliant authors and illustrators for children talk about creativity and their personal inspirations. It's a bit like a writer's/illustrator's manual for children. The authors are so generous and do not talk down to their readers. All of the essays by the laureates represented offer creative ideas to get kids started, but it also ends with twenty prompts/projects to inspire children to create their own work. While kids can read this book directly and would love the playful and fun layout, it also seems like it would make a great resource for educators and parents.… (mer)

As I keep hearing about parents wanting their children to be involved in all things STEM, while art is considered “soft” and kind of useless, it’s so wonderful to read a book that celebrates the value of creating your own stories with words and pictures! Einstein once said that if you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales, as even careers in science and tech need people who are creative to make innovations in their field.

This little book brings together past and present Children's Laureates (a position held by prominent children’s writers and illustrators in the UK) to provide kids with creative insights, prompts and encouragement. Each Laureate doles out a specific piece of advice which is followed up by a sample of their work. These small steps really empower children by making art seem fun and approachable.

I particularly liked Anthony Brown’s shape game, Chris Riddell’s daily doodles, and Malorie Blackman’s mini lesson on telling a story from different perspectives. Also a shout-out to Michael Morpugo’s moving tale, “I Believe in Unicorns,” which made me a bit weepy (but in a good way).… (mer)

Flights of Fancy: Creative Inspiration from Ten Award-Winning Authors and Illustrators does exactly what it says. It inspires and leads the reader on flights of possibilities. This book takes teachers and librarians on a journey to cultivate creativity with pictures and words. At first scan, I thought the book lacked a clear organization, but upon reading, I realized each of the 10 Children's Laureates from the UK offers his/her own outlet for creativity. There are ideas for sparking imagination, building a story, writing a poem, doodling, playing with words, and creating illustrations. As an educator, I was impressed with Malorie Blackman's section on using point of view. I had recently taught that concept with middle schoolers, and wish I had her version of an Aesop fable told from 3 points of view. Each clearly illustrates the power of perspective. The book also shares resources such as Anne Fine's My Home Library website and Lauren Child's Staring into Space project. If you are an educator who wants to move beyond drill and kill, skill- based lessons, this book will provide a much needed resource for encouraging creativity and launching imagination from Britain's most preeminent creators and promoters of literature.… (mer)