A picture book is an art gallery for the lap. 📚

That’s something we say all the time here at Read-Aloud Revival, and today we’re going to introduce you to one of our absolute favorite examples of this.

We're diving into the enchanting world of illustrated picture books with Scott Gustafson, the master illustrator behind the breathtaking illustrations in the beloved Classic Fairy Tales picture book.

Classic Fairy Tales is my all-time favorite illustrated collection of fairy tales, and it’s one of our picks for the RAR Family Book Club, A Fairy Tale Summer.

Scott’s breathtaking work has captivated the imagination of readers of all ages. He brings these stories to life in a way that is nothing short of magical.

And because audio alone could never do these gorgeous illustrations justice, we also recorded a video of our conversation, in which Scott shares many of his fabulous illustrations on-screen.

You can find the video along with the full show notes at readaloudrevival.com/242 or on the Read-Aloud Revival YouTube page.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• How Scott’s use of light and color helps the reader journey through each painted scene
• Why Scott uses people, costumes, and objects as references in his paintings
• Scott’s best advice for budding artists and illustrators

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

• Read-Aloud Revival
• Waxwing Books
• Subscribe to the newsletter

Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/art-gallery-for-the-lap

📖 🪻 Get your copy of Because Barbara: Barbara Cooney Paints Her World wherever books are sold!

Summer is fast approaching, and here's what we propose: a relaxed and simple summer that offers just enough structure to keep those long sticky days from melting into chaos... and just enough fun to keep your kids asking for more.

Also: Fairy Tales.

Last week, I did a couple of live workshops on three simple steps to have a Fairy Tale Summer with your kids, no matter how old they are.

In today’s episode, I share the workshop recording, and you can also watch the video workshop that includes all of my slides.

If you want to join us at RAR Premium for a Fairy Tale Summer, head to readaloudrevival.com/fairytale or text “fairytale” to 33777, and we’ll send you an invitation.

Here's what we'll talk about:

• How reading fairy tales can make your summer easier (and more fun)
• The fairy tales Sarah recommends for every age
• The tippy top thing you can do to make sure your kids make delightful memories this summer (it’s way less work than you think)

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

• Read Aloud Revival
• Waxwing Books
• Subscribe to the Newsletter

📖 🪻 Get your copy of Because Barbara: Barbara Cooney Paints Her World wherever books are sold!

Are you intimidated by the thought of teaching Shakespeare?

You’re not alone.

A lot of people struggle to connect to Shakespeare’s work, even if they really want their kids to be familiar with his plays.

What if I told you there's a way to make teaching Shakespeare to your kids enjoyable for them…

…AND delightful for you?

In today’s episode, Ken Ludwig, celebrated playwright and author of How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare, argues that the reason so many of us feel like we don’t get Shakespeare is because people don’t know why (or how!) to teach it.

But figuring out how to teach Shakespeare well is worth it, because not only was he groundbreaking in his time, but he has so much to teach us about what it means to be human.

Don’t miss this replay of our live conversation where Ken shares all his best tips on teaching Shakespeare to your kids and answers audience questions.

Plus, Sarah shares her favorite resources for helping kids get excited about Shakespeare.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• How to break down passages for young kids one at a time
• Is it possible to teach Shakespeare with a wide range of ages?
• What do we do with Shakespeare’s—ahem—thornier content? (After all, there is a lot of it)

Learn more about Sarah Mackenzie:

• Read-Aloud Revival
• Waxwing Books
• Subscribe to the Newsletter

Find the rest of the show notes at: readaloudrevival.com/how-to-teach-shakespeare

📖 🪻 Get your copy of Because Barbara: Barbara Cooney Paints Her World wherever books are sold!