W.H. Beck » daily doodle

My Library à la Mo

W.H. Beck — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 02:39:39 +0000

The school year is finally winding down. The students’ last day was Tuesday; I’ll be done next week.

One of my favorite activities was my Caldecott unit with my second graders. We finished it with not a moment to spare at the end of the year. It consisted of reading lots of Caldecott books and checking out the different media used by various illustrators, then zooming in on Mo Willems and the Knuffle Bunny books. Finally, we tried our hands at creating art like Knuffle Bunny. Here are some of my favorites.

p.s. Yes, that’s me in many of the pictures. At least I’m smiling, not shushing!

p.p.s. I highly recommend the Scholastic/Weston Woods videos of Knuffle Bunny and Knuffle Bunny, Too. Narrated by the real Trixie and Daddy! And also an interview with Mo Willems.

p.p.p.s. You know there’s another Knuffle Bunny coming this fall, right? Knuffle Bunny Free!

Working Hard or Hardly Working?

W.H. Beck — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 02:37:32 +0000

My grandpa used to ask me that question all the time.

The blog’s been quiet lately because I’ve been spending my time here instead:

McKenna Elementary, MALCOLM AT MIDNIGHT

But the truth is, I’m not sure if I’m working hard or hardly working. I’m busy with it, yes, but if you go by page count, it sure doesn’t look like much.

Night Light

W.H. Beck — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 05:23:51 +0000

That’s a camping headlight he’s reading by. I’d scold him about getting to sleep, but I was exactly the same way when I was nine.

Book #3 = Done

W.H. Beck — Sun, 25 Mar 2007 05:33:56 +0000

I always think it’s funny when people say they neglect housework for their writing. About the only time my house is clean is when I have a deadline hanging over my head. The more pressure, the more I dodge. And polish, and clean out closets, and bake, and just plain goof off. Here’s what ended up in my notebook one night instead of research notes.

It’s Mr. E, who fell asleep next to my while I was working. The funny thing about this sketch is how his ear is the focal point. I didn’t plan it that way; it’s just how he was sleeping. But it made it a challenge for me. Besides ears being tricky to draw, Mr. E is deaf. His ear–and the cochlear implant scar you see behind it–define him for many people. So it’s really a portrait in more ways that one.

(Um, okay. I guess I also ponder a lot when I should be finishing something up, too. But hey, now the manuscript’s turned in and my house is clean. It all worked out.)