The Dot and Ish by Peter Reynolds are two picture books that I absolutely adore. They are very similar in theme, so I figured I would share both of them together. The illustrations are wonderful, but the stories are even better. They both deal with creative expression in children and our responsibility as adults to foster that desire. These books resonate with me because I have no artistic talent myself. In The Dot, the child doesn't think she can create a work of art and just leaves a blank page. Finally, she puts a dot on the page. With encouragement, her dots become more and more elaborate as she learns to explore her creative side. In Ish the little boy looses his love of drawing when his brother makes a comment about his pictures not quite looking like what they are meant to be. Luckily his little sister sees the beauty in his unique artwork, and he is once again able to embrace his love of drawing all the time. It is really beautiful to watch these children's imaginations soar as they explore the endless possibilities that exist when encouraged to express themselves artistically. Whether it is through art, writing, music, etc., I hope everyone will encourage their own children to use their imaginations and not hold anything back. The sky is the limit when it comes to what children can accomplish. Happy reading!
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