It is a big mistake to think picture books are for young children. Certainly that is the case with Samantha Berger’s What If. . . . Illustrated in glorious variety by Mike Curato, What If… is a celebration of imagination that can inspire young and old. The story is a simple one, told by a … Continue reading
As I said last week, it has been quite a summer. The biggest adventure of the season was my trip to Antofagasta, Chile to meet with the wonderful teachers of the Tarpuq project. I thoroughly enjoyed my meetings there—including the chance to speak to an audience listening to a translation through headphones, and working with … Continue reading
It’s July, and at least in the U.S., that means thoughts turn to summer vacation, beaches and flip flops. While for many of us—and certainly in Michigan—flip flops are typically worn only in the warmest times of the years, in many parts of the world they may be the only shoes available to impoverished people. … Continue reading
As I said last post, the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) is hosting an amazing exhibit of Star Wars costumes. I went to the exhibit to see costumes, but I found myself enjoying lessons in creativity as well. Lesson 3: Ideas seldom emerge full blown. They grow and develop. Or, as I often say … Continue reading
It has been a whirlwind spring! While theoretically on spring break for the last six weeks, I’ve been busily building new online courses and traveling—and, of course, watching creativity all around me. My busy “break” has reminded me, yet again, of the ways travel can spark creativity, helping us to see the world through new … Continue reading
By now some who have followed this blog for a while have figured out that in our house, a perfect date night may well include dinner and browsing in a book store. Recently I did just that, armed with a discount coupon for a book of choice. I had a hard time deciding, so after … Continue reading
How can a photograph be transformed into a work of kindness? Sometimes, when it becomes a portrait. This is a time of year when many of us try to think about doing good. Perhaps that is why I was so intrigued to learn about the Memory Project—a chance to be creative, raise awareness, and do … Continue reading
Sometimes the creativity in the world just makes me chuckle. It happened this week as I reviewed the materials for the 2017 Dance Your Dissertation Contest. Yes, dance. For most of us who managed the dissertation process, any dancing that occurred was at a post-defense party at which we celebrated our academic survival. But the … Continue reading
Have you ever wondered what your ideal world might look like? At a recent trip to the Detroit Institute of Arts I had a chance to glimpse into a few medieval artists’ fantasies, as they portrayed the Land of Cockaigne. According to Merriam-Webster, “The term “Cockaigne” comes from the Middle French phrase pais de cocaigne, … Continue reading
Sometimes when I walk through a bookstore, a book just calls out to me. It isn’t what I was looking for. More often than not, it isn’t something I need. But it calls, none-the-less. That is what happened with Kwame Alexander’s Animal Ark. Theoretically, Animal Ark is a children’s book. It certainly is appealing to … Continue reading
