MaiStoryBook Library

MaiStoryBook: Aaron Slater, Illustrator + *My Picture Story* Craft

by MaiStoryBook

Introducing the newest member to the Questioneer STEAM Team ~ featured in the MaiStoryBook Library Collection:

“Aaron Slater, Illustrator” by Andrea Beaty

*~Click here to purchase your own copy of “Aaron Slater, Illustrator” to start on your own reading adventure! (This is an affiliate link~ a small percentage of your purchase will go to MaiStoryBook to help create Reading Resources for your littles)

Book Synopsis/ Review

Aaron Slater loves stories and dreams of become an author himself! However, when it comes to reading, the letters jumble into squiggles, and writing is more difficult than he imagined. Dismayed that storytelling is out of reach…inspiration soon stroked, and Aaron finds a way to share stories through color, art, illustration, and imagery.

Printed in dyslexia-friendly font, *Aaron Slater, Illustrator* shares an empowering role model for littles with dyslexia. Aaron Slater learns that his dyslexia does not define who he is~ and that there are many methods of communication and ways to share your story! I highly recommend this read to celebrate the power of art, finding your voice, and telling your story using the talents that make you uniquely you!

Vocabulary

  • Dusk (p. 1) the time right after sunset, before it gets completely dark
  • Melodious (p. 1) musical, pleasant sounding
  • Slate (p. 3) flat piece of wood or rock, can be used for writing or drawing on
  • Hullabaloo (p. 15) a big commotion, a whole lot of things going on at once
  • Anguish (p. 29) very sad or in pain
  • Banish (p. 31) to send someone or something away in punishment

Themes/ Main Ideas

  • We an express ourselves and share our stories in many different ways: through art, words, music, and more!
  • You deserve to tell your story. Don’t let what makes you unique make you feel different in a bad way.

Interactive Read Aloud Strategies

  • SEL: Ask how Aaron is feeling throughout the story. How do his feelings change from the beginning, middle, to end?
  • This book has brilliant illustrations. Ask littles what they notice in the illustrations. What story is being told through Aaron’s pictures?
  • Ask what pictures they would draw if they were feeling different emotions.
  • Connection: Have you ever felt like Aaron at school? Is something very difficult for you to do at school? How does that make you feel?
  • Connection: Have you ever felt different than all the other children at school? How did it make you feel? Did you do something to change how you felt?

*My Picture Story* Craft

I am a huge proponent of integrating arts into curriculum, and believe in giving students multiple opportunities and avenues to share their understanding and knowledge. There are many ways to share your learning and knowledge~ many ways to share your voice and tell your story. Aaron Slater shows us that you can communicate through art, pictures, and drawing. Perhaps you, and/or your littles also find it easier to share your stories in ways other than writing: through visual arts, music, dance, theater, etc. My job as a teacher is to find what clicks for mai little learners, and then to do mai best to nurture their strengths and support their needs. The bookish craft inspired by this book encourages littles to use visuals and pictures to share a story~ to try another method of communication and storytelling. Check it out down below!

Materials

Directions

  • Choose an “Illustrator Cover” template. There are colored and black and white versions. There are 2 different headings: “____, Illustrator” and “____’s Picture Story”
  • If you chose the black and white version, color it in •Write your name in the blank to personalize the craft. Ex) “__Maya_, Illustrator.”
  • Cut the Illustrator Cover in half on the dotted-wavy-line so that you have two pieces. The “Picture Story” Inside Template will go in between the two pieces and attach them together.
  • Next, choose an “Inside Picture” Template. There are 7 different differentiated templates available in colored versions, or black-and-white versions.
  • Options include all picture story boxes, picture and text boxes/speech bubble boxes, or picture and written story templates
  • Fill in the boxes with an illustrated picture story.
  • Cut out the Inside Picture Story template **Keep the top and bottom tabs on! Do not cut them off*
  • To connect the Picture Story and Illustrator Cover, fold back the two tabs. Tape or glue the front side of the bottom tab to the top-back of the bottom half of the Illustrator cover. Then, tape/glue the front side of the top tab to the bottom-back of the top half of the Illustrator cover.
  • Next, fold the top half of the Illustrator cover half way down, folding the inside Picture story behind. Fold the bottom half of the Illustrator Cover up to meet the top half in the middle, folding the Picture Story Template behind.
  • The Picture Story Inside template should fold in on itself as you close the Illustrator cover halves to make it a whole Illustrator Cover, and then when you open the Illustrator Cover, your Picture Story will be revealed!

Enjoy Your *My Picture Story* Craft

  • Share your Picture Story with friends and family and narrate your story or have them narrate what they see.
  • Share your Picture Story and ask friends and family to draw and share their own picture story.
  • Get in small groups or pair up in class and take turns sharing and narrating your pictures story, or see how others interpret your work.
  • Display your crafts for a colorful reminder about the power of sharing your voice and telling your story, no matter how you do it.

*~ I hope you are enjoying plenty of *inspiring* reading adventures this year, Mai Friends! Tag me on Instagram @MaiStoryBookLibrary or FaceBook , find me on TikTok, or contact me via email to share your own *My Picture Story* Crafts and your own reading adventures! I’d love to hear how you are changing the world!~*

Enjoy More SEL Read Aloud Videos Here!

*~Until next time, Happy Reading