The Art of the Picture Book MARY M. ERbaCH PICTURE BOOKS at AN ART MUSEUM PROGRAMS WITH PICTURE BOOKS Once upon a time back in 1964 the Art Institute of Chicago Families visit the museum to learn, have fun, and spend time opened an education space called the Junior Museum, with together. Many children visiting the museum have been read galleries, studios, and a little library of picture books for visi- to their entire lives and have a book collection at home. They tors to enjoy. What foresight the planners had to include a may even be familiar with visits to the public library and room full of books for children at an art museum. Thus began have their own card. For our youngest audience (3–5-year- an era that still prevails almost a half century later. Speed olds), a museum visit might not be a common experience, ahead to 2007: a recent study with parents showed that the but it can be an exciting one. Museum educators understand family library is still a favorite destination. This cozy space is that the workshops and gallery walks need to be engaging a comfortable gathering spot where families can hang out and and interactive. Beginning with an activity that children are read, or where teachers can have some down time with their familiar with, such as reading a picture book, establishes a classes and share a story. It’s a great place for storytelling pro- comfort zone for young children who are in a strange big grams and for hosting book signings by guest illustrators. place filled with things that cannot be touched. Following the The collection of one thousand books written for young reading, points of the story can be reinforced when looking people includes titles on architecture, arts, artist biography, at artworks in the galleries and then further reinforced with and historic cultures, as well as award-winning picture books a hands-on activity in the studios. Parents, having had an that complement the museum’s encyclopedic collection. Cal- opportunity to see picture books used in a museum setting, decott Medal and Honor books have been added to the col- can talk over museum visits with their children and extend lection since the 1960s and enjoyed by many museum visi- learning at home with stories. tors. The books have been used in a variety of ways through Story Time is a popular Art Institute program for the years. For museum educators, finding that perfect story families that gathers a loyal crowd. The books and topics with pictures might be a jumping-off point for a hands-on are open-ended and relate to works of art on display. For activity. We at the museum can rely on the book collection instance, after reading Lois Ehlert’s Market Day (Harcourt, for supplementary materials when preparing programs. A 2000) and identifying shapes and colors found on the pages quick read of an artist’s biography or a concise synopsis of of the book, children and parents can go on a hunt for shapes the Italian Renaissance helps when preparing for tours or and colors in the galleries. At first they might keep it simple, workshops. And the voice and language of the books are age- looking for circles or the color red. Gradually they can add appropriate for young people, reminding new educators to more colors and shapes as children become confident with keep talks engaging for young learners. looking at and discovering details in paintings. Or a reading After the Junior Museum underwent renovation in 1992 of The Stray Dog, by Marc Simont (2002 Caldecott Honor to become the Kraft Education Center, a gallery was dedi- Book; HarperCollins, 2001), can initiate a search for animals cated to the exhibition of original art from picture books, found in paintings and sculptures. A conversation between and since then the work of more than one hundred artists parents and children can start with questions such as Would has been on view. The displays have had thematic links, have you like to bring this animal home? What would you name it? related to major museum exhibitions, and have featured What do you think it likes to eat? Questions based on points award-winning illustrators. Picture book artists are dedi- found in the story make the content of the story relevant to cated to their profession and care about accuracy, character the original work of art. development, whimsy and humor, and mastery of media. Reading programs and the little library are excellent They work in charcoal, graphite, acrylic, oil, and watercolor places for families to learn together in the museum. Picture paint, and create woodblock prints, etchings, and collages, books and books for young readers are also part of pro- producing a series of original works of art just like the other grams for students in school groups. Each year thousands of masterpieces found in the museum’s galleries. These exhibi- preschoolers and early elementary school students visit the tions offer an opportunity for children to see original works museum. In the Art Institute’s ABCs of Art program for chil- of art geared toward them and to learn about the people who dren from pre-K through third grade, museum docents take created them. goodie bags into the galleries packed with picture and illus- From The Newbery and Caldecott Awards, 2008 ed., by the Association for Library Service to Children (Chicago: American Library Association, 2008). 1 trated books. Basic themes such as “Lines, Shapes, and Col- and stories found in the Silk Road region. On view were ors” and “My Five Senses” reinforce both verbal and visual illustrations from her book Chingis Khan (Henry Holt, literacy. 1991), portraying the great (and ruthless) Mongol leader Reading programs also take place in the community. A and military strategist who, during his long reign, made successful partnership between the Art Institute and the Chi- traveling the Silk Road safe again. The exquisite illustra- cago Public Library, now in its seventh year, is called Art and tions are reminiscent of Persian miniature paintings. Other Reading Together. Art and literature are thematically linked Demi books represented include the biographies Buddha and are introduced to children and families in dynamic pro- (Henry Holt, 1996), Muhammad (Margaret K. McElderry, gramming that takes place at library branches; the program 2003), and The Adventures of Marco Polo (Holt, Rinehart, culminates with a visit to the museum. This collaboration and Winston, 1982), giving visitors a rich introduction to promotes creative program interplay and resource sharing the people and beliefs found in this region of the world. and encourages young learners to find a wealth of possibili- (A bibliography of books featured in this exhibition, along ties in both a collection of books and a collection of art. with many others, can be found in my article “Stories from the Silk Road,” Book Links 16, no. 1 [September 2006], LINKING THE MUSEUM’s COLLECTIONS available at http://www.ala.org/Booklinks/ in the archive of online articles.) In 2006 the entire museum linked together its permanent collections by highlighting objects that came from or were A FAMILY EXHIBITION influenced by travel and trade along the Silk Road. This series of routes stretched from the edge of China west to the Medi- Telling and listening to stories are engaging activities. People terranean Sea, encompassing most of Asia and parts of Africa tend to retain information when it’s delivered in story form. and Europe. The museum education department used this With this in mind the museum education department pro- opportunity to find beautifully illustrated stories for children duced a family exhibition called Telling Images: Stories in on this topic. The picture book exhibition Stories from the Art (September 1996–January 2003). Six original works of Silk Road (August 2006–May 2007) included original paint- art from diverse cultures and historical periods told stories ings, drawings, and collages depicting brave explorers, dili- in different ways. A goal was to show how objects and paint- gent merchants, and religious men who journeyed the Silk ings from different cultures tell stories that have been passed Road routes to exchange goods, stories, and beliefs. Seven down from generation to generation. artists representing twelve books were on view during this Two of the six original works of art on view were St. yearlong celebration of the Silk Road. The family audience George Killing the Dragon by Bernardo Martorell (Spanish, ranges in age from the very young to teenagers and adults, so c. 1400–1452) and Rip Van Winkle by John Quidor (Ameri- books that appealed to all ages were necessary to communi- can, 1801–1881). These stories have been retold and illus- cate this theme. Two picture books especially appropriate for trated by many artists through time, including renowned the young introduced the Silk Road topic in an understand- picture book artists, enabling these works of art and the sto- able way. We’re Riding on a Caravan: An Adventure on the ries they recount to become meaningful to children today. A Silk Road (written by Laurie Krebs, Barefoot Books, 2005) companion picture book exhibition called A Story in a Pic- used rhyming verses to describe a yearlong journey. Color- ture: Illustrations by Trina Schart Hyman and Gary Kelley ful watercolor pictures by Helen Cann illustrated the ever- (September 1996–February 1997) featured the illustrations changing terrain in this region of the world and the mar- from the 1985 Caldecott Medal book Saint George and the kets, goods, animals, and people who traveled these routes. Dragon (retold by Margaret Hodges, Little, Brown, 1984).