Kid Reading: Ish

Ish (Creatrilogy) by Peter Reynolds was a great book that I picked up at the library.  I had it on the list of books that I wanted to read but I really didn't know anything about it.  I figured that picking it up at the library would be good to see if my son liked it.

 

The book had the main character Ramon who loved to draw- anytime, anything, and anywhere.  Leon, Ramon's brother, made fun of his drawing and Ramon crumpled up the drawing and threw it.  Ramon had trouble drawing after that because he just kept hearing Leon's laughter.  After months of trying, Ramon stops drawing.  His sister, Marisol, picked up one of Ramon's crumpled pictures and ran to her room.  He was going to yell at her but he looked at her walls and she had hung up lots of his drawing all over the room.  She points to her favorite drawing.  Ramon says that it was supposed to be a vase with flowers but bit doesn't look like one (it was the one that his brother made fun of).  The sister says that it looks vase-ISH.  They decide that they do look ish and Ramon was ready to draw again.  He made pictures of things around him and feelings.  He started ish writing to make something that was poem-ish.  Ramon was very happy and lived ishfully ever after.

If you have a perfectionist, this is the perfect book for you.  When my son was first writing letters, he would get really upset if they weren't perfect and then wanted to stop.  I wish that I knew about this book back then because it would have been really helpful.  It is always great to teach kids to practice and have fun.  Read the book and do something with your child that they might not do perfectly.  Also, I think that drawing emotions is an interesting one and I am not sure that all ages could do this but it seems like a great follow up activity.  Pick something that appeals to your kids and see where the ish takes you!!!