What a fun day!
We started our Ezra Jack Keats mini-grant project at the library. Director Shannon had participants close their eyes and imagine the images used to illustrate the story “Kitten for a Day” while it was read aloud. Then the kids were handed storyboard worksheets with the text from the story they’d just heard and encouraged to illustrate (or describe in words) their interpretation of the action. 
They had fun
(and spent a good amount of time thinking) as they devised their own illustrations. 
Shannon was impressed by their curiosity and their willingness to give it a try. After they spent some time working on their own interpretation of EJK’s words, Shannon read the book again, this time showing them the pictures, and they discussed what they thought they’d gotten “close” and what they’d envisioned much differently. It was neat to hear what they thought the words meant! 
Shannon stressed to them that having different ideas or different interpretations isn’t bad or wrong–it just means they imagine things differently. She even pointed out that in problem-solving having more (and different) ideas is really helpful so you come to the best answer possible. Then the group got journals to write and draw ideas in–maybe story ideas, maybe character ideas…pretty much anything they like! Shannon can’t wait to see the group again Monday for the next step in their book-making.
