As I had mentioned in an earlier blog post, my wife Gwynne had written a children’s book a while back that has been waiting for illustrations – which are now complete!
As you can hopefully see from the story and pictures below, this book is meant to be interactive. We want each of these little mini-stories to be a jumping off place for the reader to make up different possibilities of where the story can go from there. This was inspired by our experience reading to our own kids, and the endless number of nights we could read books like this and have fun telling stories every time.
With these illustrations, my goal was to capture the scene and the mood of the story, but also give the tools and inspiration for kids to be engaged. In the scenes with the little girl, you will see hints of images that then appear in the next “story” image. And with these “story” images, I wanted to give just enough to spark kids’ imaginations without limiting options for where the story can go.
Our next step is to try to get this published – but in the meantime, enjoy!
"And So Our Story Goes..."
In the quite light of a Saturday spring morning, you sit on the stone front stoop to have a simple picnic.
"Daddy, bring your coffee." You say, and we look out at the brown and muddy garden waking up.
"Once upon a time there was a butterfly and a balloon and a flower as fragile as glass," you begin. And so our story goes...
Under the hazy heat of a midday summer sun, you dangle all ten toes in our pintsized plastic pool.
"Daddy, bring your towel." You say, and we look at the ripples our dancing cold toes make.
"Once upon a time there was a white perch and a willow and a shell as black as night," you begin. And so our story goes...
Wrapped inside a blanket keeping out the late day wind of fall, you sit on our back porch while a pumpkin waits for carving.
"Daddy, bring your scooping spoon." You say, and we try to hold the slimy seeds as they slip between our fingers.
"Once upon a time there was a crow and a candle and a leaf as bright as gold," you begin. And so our story goes...
Beside a hungry fire, while snow falls beneath cold stars, you snuggle under blankets and curl your toes inside wool socks.
"Daddy, bring your coco." You say, and we stare at the wild flames as they snap against red brick.
"Once upon a time there was a deer and a drum and a tree as brave as you", you begin. And so our story goes...
Watching by your bedside as the moonlight bathes your skin, I think of the fine stories your once upon a times always make.
"Good night sweet heart, I love you." I say, and I notice your quiet shape hidden happily beneath the sheets.
"Once upon a time there was a girl and her father and a world as wide as wonder," I begin. And so our story goes.
