Paul Zelinsky Visits The Van Meter 2nd Graders and Shares "Rapunzel" From His Art Studio

Our second graders have been reading, studying, acting out, watching, and creating fairy tales for the last few months.  We have done several activities with literacy and technology between the classrooms, library, and other related arts classes. 

One of our projects can be read about on the Van Meter Library Voice at Our First Augmented Reality Scavenger Hunt Through A Fairy Tale eBooks With The Second Graders. 

As they just love fairy tales, I next wanted to find an illustrator or author of fairy tales to connect with the second graders.  As always, bringing in authors and illustrators enriches our projects and units so very much.  They just love this connection.  

One of our favorite books to read and look at in the library is Paul Zelinsky's Rapunzel, which he adapted and illustrated. Paul was awarded the Caldecott Medal in 1998.  

So, I invited him to come visit all of the second graders, their teachers, and the art teacher through Skype one afternoon.

He read Rapunzel to us......which we all loved hearing Paul read the story he had created.  

Paul also showed us around his studio.  We loved seeing all of his paints that he uses to created the beautiful illustrations from his books.  He is one of the best illustrators.....and one of my all time favorites.  When I was in college, I remember discovering his books and looking at the illustrations forever.  Now to see the children in our library look at them the same way makes me smile.  

We were very excited when Paul asked us if we wanted to see the original paintings from Rapunzel. We couldn't believe it!  

He told us all about how he protects them with tracing paper that is laid over the top of each painting.They were beautiful.  

He also told us how he created the different colors in the paintings too.  When he wanted to find out what a certain plants color actually was he grew it so he could match it to the painting.  

At the end of his visit to Van Meter, our second graders asked him all kinds of wonderful questions. They loved talking with Paul about fairy tales, books, and art.  

It was so special listening to one of my favorite illustrators and authors.....one that I have admired for many years and now share with my students and own children too.

You just have to visit Paul's website here.

And on Twitter too.

Thank you Paul for visiting our 2nd graders and all of the teachers who were with us in the library too. We just loved visiting your studio as we heard about illustrations, painting, colors, and projects that related to the beautiful books that you share with us.  

We are honored you came to the Van Meter School library and can't wait until you visit us again.