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Chris Raschka at
The Family Academy,
May 10-14
Chris Raschka's residency began with an enthusiastic,
group "good morning!" from about twenty kindergarteners.
Mr. Raschka promptly took a seat in front of the class
and began drawing his two cats, Alma and Alaska Joe.
This was followed by a class reading of Mr. Raschka's
book, Yo! Yes?, a story about two boys who become
friends.
Mr. Raschka lives only blocks away, and informed students
that he traveled to school everyday by bicycle. He asked
how many students had bikes, cats, and lived in Manhattan.
Mr. Raschka engaged students in guessing games, including
asking them to guess which floor he lived on. Many youngsters
were thrilled that they, too, live on the fourth floor.
Mr. Raschka's week at The Family Academy involved creative,
fun workshops with grades K-2. They read his books Yo!
Yes? and Charlie Parker Played Be Bop prior
to his visit, and were ecstatic to read along with him.
Students were excited and could hardly stay in their
seats, but they quieted down at the chance to be Mr.
Raschka's personal assistant during a group reading,
skit, or puppet show.
Some of Mr. Raschka's illustration workshops involved
class input. One second grade class gave Mr. Raschka
ideas about what characteristics to add to what started
out as a stick figure. One of these exercises resulted
in a drawing of a man with a yellow face, black hands,
blue pants, and a green shirt. One student commented
that the character looked very much like a banana.
The author read to students from one of his newest
books in progress, as well as from his book, Talk
To Me About the Alphabet.
Younger students read Mr. Rashcka's books, Sluggy
Slug, Wormy Worm, Snaily Snail, and Whaley Whale.
These students participated in puppet-making exercises;
they chose worms, whales, snails, and slugs, and diligently
colored their cardboard cutouts, glued antennae, and
taped sticks to wave their puppets. When asked what
they would do with their puppets, replies included hanging
them in doorways and refrigerators, giving them to parents,
and giving them to Mr. Raschka as gifts.
Chris Raschka plans to revisit The Family Academy in
the fall of 2004.
The Family Literacy program is
made possible through leadership funding from the R.R.
Donnelley Foundation, with additional support from The
JP Morgan Chase Foundation, Consolidated Edison, the
National Endowment for the Arts, the Alfred, Lee, and
Peter Mayer Foundation, Scholastic, Inc., Katherine
Paterson, and the Stuart S. Applebaum Giving Foundation.
Chris Raschka's books were
generously donated by Scholastic, Inc.
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