Last week, school librarian Karen Bentall shared a wonderful photo of a BookSpeak display in the Oak Ridge Elementary School library in Arlington, VA. Wow! It’s beautiful! I asked if I could share this cool artwork here and if she could tell me a little more about it.
Oakridge library assistants Nelly Navarro-Britt (standing) and Beth Scott assist students.
Oakridge library assistant Nelly Navarro-Britt
Gareth Bentall’s art shares lines from a poem by Laura Purdie Salas, “Written in Snow.”
The chalkboard (art by Gareth Bentall) and the book (poems by Laura Purdie Salas, illustrations by Josee Bisaillon)
Here’s what Karen said:
Smart boards and white boards are common in schools today but when a ‘vintage’ chalk board came our way, we were inspired to use it to highlight seasonal poems that celebrate stories. Gareth’s illustrated interpretation of “Through the blizzard stories roam. They tiptoe bravely out, then home.” (Written in Snow) reminds us of library books venturing out in the hands of our students, returning hopefully having been read and loved.Thank you, Laura, for your poetry which sparked a chain of creativity that is reaching out to every one of our 802 students as they check out their library books. Thanks also to Gareth Bentall who donated his time to illustrate the chalk board. It catches the eye of every student, teacher and visitor to our busy library. Check out his illustrations at Garethtoons.tumblr.com.
Regular readers know I’m quite envious of visual artists. I wish I could create something like this. But it feels almost as good to have my words inspire an artist:>) [If you want to read the complete text of this short poem, click here.] Thanks, Karen Bentall, for tagging me on Twitter (I’m @LauraPSalas) and sharing your very cool library, and thank you to Gareth Bentall, for your beautiful art. I would love to see what other books have been featured. If I were a kid, I would be so excited to go to the library constantly and check for new art and fabulous books!
6 Responses
White board art just isn’t the same. My students drew on the whiteboard last year, but mostly it was black & white doodles. Love the chalkboard look, this drawing, and it’s wonderful that your words inspired it, Laura. Happy Christmas full of books and words!
I agree–there’s something so appealing about this chalkboard art. Thank you, Linda–wishing you a lovely Christmas and New Year, too!
Bookspeak is one of my favorite “book poem” books and I love this! I teach in an old, old building that does have some chalkboards. Mostly people cover them and use them as bulletin boards. I’m going to share this and see if we could do something different!
Find a fun way to mix hi-tech with low, Carol!
I was just telling my husband, today, of my fond memories of books in school. My 5th grade teacher let me be Class Librarian, and I began to delve into Greek and Roman myths and poetry that year. Fond memories 60 years later!! Some man or woman in 2085 will be reminiscing about this display and the wonderful words that inspired it. Its’ one of those gifts you can’t buy with a MasterCard. Happy holidays to all.
You are so right–money can’t buy them. Thanks for sharing this fun memory, Nancy!