1. Lois Ehlert Edith Rios Free Powerpoint Templates
I I have arranged several trays on the table with glue sticks and die cuts.
Ehlert works in collage and I thought you might want to make one while I speak.
I also saved the die cuts because you see many of these peekaboo windows in her book…
Free Powerpoint Templates

2. Milwaukee Public Library

3. Lois Ehlert Born November 9, 1934 in Beaver Dam Wisconsin.
Her father worked with wood and her mother was a seamstress...
Her parents were in to gardening…
Her parents shared “art supplies with her”
Table

4. History of Ehlert went to the Layton School of Art
graduated from the University of Wisconsin Maddison with a degree in psychology.
At 22 Ehlert got an agent that did trade books and textbooks
“It was rather uncharted waters, especially for people of their generation.”
Her parents were very supportive.

5. History of Ehlert cont. Worked as an apprentice at a studio
In her 40s 50s she began to illustrate and write books
Started illustrating then took writing classes when she decided whe wanted to write her own books.

6. Work/Process Visual concept Creates a dummy
Writes for emergent readers
Collage and beyond
Ehlert loves fabric but uses other items.
“I know that's contrary to what most illustrators do, because unless they do both the writing and the art, they generally would get the manuscript first, and then they would illustrate it.”
Starts w/Visual Concept
Describe features in her work Ehlert describes her work as “little bit out of left field”
BOOK FOR VOCAB VEGETABLE SOUP
Ehlert writes for emergent readers-vocabulary
Her siblings were younger and their mother always read the same book to all of them. She says that she includes labels to stretch the age range.
Book example: Pie in the sky
quote “The text of my books is usually fairly slim, because I know I'm writing for emerging readers. The pictures do some of the talking, and I use an easy typeface for anyone to read.”
Font of choice-Century Schoolbook
BOOK FOR COLLAGE AND BEYOND
In my hands
BOOK
Snowballs

7. her work in her words Themes
“My books deal with common, ordinary things that anyone, whatever their means, would probably come in contact with in their own yard or in a nearby park.”
Ehlert considers herself an “outdoors person” who loves nature

8. her work in her words Style
“Color Zoo and In My World are primarily die cuts or apertures. The total illustration is made by the negative space that allows the next page, and subsequently the next page, to show through… All of this is a way to get the young child to interact as they're learning something. It's learning in a very physical sense.”

9. her work in her words Color
“Color lifts my spirits. I can't think of any color that I haven't used, but maybe there is one. When I gather my art supplies, I use a variety of papers, and if I can't find the color that I want, I will make paint and/or make paper that is that color. I do a lot of cutting and throwing things away until I get the color to be very harmonious, at least to my eyes.”

10. Collage Ehlert and Others
Steve Jenkins
Eric Carle
Leo Leonni
Ezra Jack Keats
David Diaz
I was thinking of different ways that you can use her work in the classroom… These are just a few. You can have a unit with authors who use collage (Pause)

11. For older children…
Both of these books do a wonderful job of capturing the essence of a mercado…

12. Other “equations” Hands can be used for an autobiography unit
Leaf Man, Growing Vegetable Soup, and Red Leaf Yellow Leaf can be used in a Fall unit.
Books about animals: Oodles of Animals, Mice, RRRALPH, Feathers for Lunch, and others…
The floor of the Milwaukee Public Library's Central Branch Betty Brinn Children's Room is striking. Navy blue linoleum frames 31 different animal pictographs in a variety of colors that you designed. Please describe some of the nonbook art have you done, and what is it like.

13. Links Interview (transcribed not audio/video)
Official Publisher Website
Amazon Author Website
Here you can read a synopsis of the books, see reviews, and buy her books from Amazon.
Pinterest Boards
(There are more than 80 pinterest boards dedicated to Lois Ehlert).

14. More Links (audio/video)
Lois Ehlert talks about growing up in a creative household that was supportive of her art.
Video about Lois Ehlert talks about her childhood and her parents. They were very supportive of her art, hermother taught her how to sew and gave scraps of cloth, while her father shared scraps of wood with her. The video talks about her process and some of her technique.
This is an audio interview, the focus is her book Eating the Alphabet.
Books
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom is read aloud by children.