Interview with Mary Linsmeier Schools/Children's Edu-Care Teacher Charlie Christman, Children’s Book Illustrator of “Ivy Grace And The Birthday Monster”. This interview was conducted at the end of October.

What is “Ivy Grace And The Birthday Monster” about? What kind of message does the book present?

 “Ivy Grace And The Birthday Monster” is about a little girl who has a dream birthday party in her mind. When the birthday doesn’t measure up to her expectations she throws a tantrum at the party. The tantrum leaves her monstrous. The book has a good moral at the end of the story.

How did you become an illustrator? What made you decide to illustrate Jamie Vacho Kinsbeck’s book?

 I always find an excuse to draw and print. I have a degree in Art and have been doing freelance illustrations and teaching art. While doing this, I began my position at Mary Linsmeier Schools where I use art as a teaching method for the children.

Reading the book made me laugh and sold me on illustrating the book. Having the monster in the book will appeal to the children and it was fun to illustrate. I love the moral for the children who read the book and hopefully, the moral will be passed on to the children.

What was the most challenging part about illustrating a children’s book?

 I think the most challenging thing was to try to find the author’s vision and bring her ideas into the illustrations. Jamie was a great collaborator to work with and let me run with it.

How long did it take you to illustrate each page?

 The illustration process started in October 2011.  I worked on it during the evenings and over the weekends. I did 2 pages a month with reworks and changes. The final illustration was completed in May 2012. I meet with Jamie every 2 weeks to show her the work and fine tune ideas for the next illustration.

Is this your first illustration that has been published?

 I started doing illustrations for a toy packaging company and illustrated a children’s activity for Children’s Hospital in 2008. I have been professionally illustrating ever since.

What was your favorite scene to illustrate in the book?

  My favorite scene to illustrate in the book was when the monster appears. I asked other people about their favorite scene and it’s either the page were the girl has the dream birthday or the page were the monster appears.

What kinds of conditions did you work in to create the illustrations for this book? Did you listen to music?

 I always work with music. The music has to be upbeat, positive, and gets you moving.

What is the most important tool you use in illustrating? The one thing you can’t work without?

 The most important tool for me is pencil and paper. Drawing inspires me more than painting. Drawing lays the ground work for painting. I drew the illustrations first, then went back and painted them.

What is your favorite color and did you use it in the book?

 Blue is my favorite color. There are 3 predominant colors in the book that have purpose but I can’t tell you without spoiling the story for the readers.

Did anything serve as inspiration to your illustrations?

The children that I teach at Mary Linsmeier Schools served as inspirations in my illustrations.

What are you hoping the book and your illustrations will get across to parents and children?

I hope that anyone who reads the book will identify with the moral of the story. I wanted to make the book vivid, entertaining, and wanted the audience to experience the story, especially the part were she realizes what unkind actions has done to her loved ones.

Are you working on anything projects now?

 I am currently doing illustrations for a local magazine, and showing paintings at M Salon at Walker’s Point. I hope to be working on more projects during the winter.

Is there anything else you like to share?

Persistence is always a winner. Jamie and I took turns keeping each others drive and enthusiasm going on this project.

Teaching Children the Alphabet A through Z by Planting a Garden

The children with the “garden”…they all look adorable!!!!!!

 Mary Linsmeier Schools and Children's Edu-Care in Brookfield are teaching young children the Alphabet in a new way. This summer the children will learn about the rain-forest in conjunction they will be nurturing nature by creating an Alphabet Garden.

The pretty sky and the entire Alphabet A through Z.

The children will be learning the Alphabet A through Z by planting plants which include flowers, herbs, seeds, and vegetables that start with letters of the Alphabet. While children learn the Alphabet they will learn to care, nurture, and investigate numerous aspects of gardening.

From little hands come beautiful things. “Look Miss Anna…Where should I put this?”

The staff hope the garden will give children many opportunities to learn sights, sounds, smells, taste of nature, the environment and take pride as well as enjoying responsibilities and various progressions a garden beholds.

The Alphabet Garden is a center driven project for Brookfield, this project will hopefully enhance and engage the community surrounding the center, establish partnerships with local residents, businesses, and of course the families.

Miss Anna painting (young toddler teacher) containers for our “ABC Garden”….. this project evolved during our April Staff Meeting.  Everyone was very excited to get started.

 “Mm is for Moss Roses”…we have a special plant container for each letter of the alphabet.

As the staff involve the community and residents around them they ask for donations of plants, and are in need of soil. The staff has been fortunate to have all containers donated by a local painter, along with donation of soil for them to get started on planting and plants are prepared to be accepted for donation.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to our ABC Garden…buckets, soil donations and plants.  Now, “let’s watch our garden grow”!

Pam (Transitional Toddler Teacher) scrubbing the many donated paint covered buckets we used for planting.  A local painter and paint company donated all of the buckets.  Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!

 

Some of the children have helped already with filling the pails with dirt and helped water the garden. More pictures will soon be available on the Mary Linsmeier Schools and Children's Edu-Care Facebook Page.

The staff at Mary Linsmeier Schools and Children's Edu-Care in Brookfield thank everyone for the continued commitment and support to this center, the community, the environment, and socially sustainable knowledge and values.

Staff of Mary Linsmeier Schools

Their passion for educating young children has lasted for decades!

Mary Linsmeier Schools is celebrating the passion for educating young children that the Fond du Lac Staff has been demonstrating for almost 30 years!  Not only do the staff members have a commitment to children and their families, but they also commit to each other and have become a solid team that produces great results!  

Their longevity is not the norm these days in early childhood.  The newest staff person providing child care has been with us for over 7 years.  Our collaboration with the Fond du Lac School District has provided us with another team member, Jennifer Koenigs,  who is in her second year as a 4K Teacher .

Mary Ann Adler, Director, said, “Our staff makes the difference and I can see it with the successful outcomes of many of the children we have served.”  “Our teachers stay with us because they believe in our company’s mission and want to provide excellence in educating young children.”

Kathleen Lindsley, Assistant Director and 4K Assistant summed it up best.  “I started over 20 years ago because of the quality of the academic program and the professionalism of my co-workers.”  “I am rewarded when I hear stories of children that attended Mary Linsmeier Schools, finishing in the top ten in their class and going off to college or finding successful careers.  I know my co-workers and I are proud to have been a part of their first educational experiences!”  “I know that the great early education offered to each child, leads them on the road to success!”