Finding Homes in Words and Pictures: A Connections Workshop for Facilitators and Teachers with Jeannine Atkins

This is a workshop we’ve long wanted to offer, since our Connections program features many picture books on universal themes of the humanities. Jeannine Atkins, author and instructor at the Eric Carle Museum, will guide us on a journey of discovery about these works of art and story. 

Some say that all books have one of two plots: Either someone is going on a journey or a stranger comes to town. As we look at examples of these narratives in a few picture books, Jeannine suggest questions that may help readers find nuance and reflections of themselves in any book. We’ll consider words, illustration, and the ways they interact, creating tension or adding layers. Since every word matters in a short book, we’ll study tone and rhythms, and the way mood is set by color, perspective, and design elements, such as the placement of words and the effect of when we’re asked to turn a page. Understanding the choices of authors, illustrators, editors, and designers can take us deeper into books that show a variety of homes and journeys and what many have in common. 

Funded project of New Hampshire Humanities, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.