Children’s Illustrators: Unit Overview

Many teachers and curriculum coordinators build a Unit of Inquiry on the general concept of the arts.  The units typically focus on topics such as painting, dance, drama, or photography. As a teaching librarian, I chose to narrow my teaching focus to children’s illustrators.  There is a wealth of resources to help teach about children’s illustrators and in my experience teachers are often unfamiliar with this body of work.

I have prepared four lessons here, but there are many, many other illustrators you could choose from.  Perhaps you could add  a lesson on Kadir Nelson, Donald Crews, Chris Van Allsburg, Eloise Wilkin, or Jan Brett.  I hope that this body of lessons will grow, but these four will get you off to a great start!

Children love the lessons and activities that go with them.  By the end of the unit, your students will confidently be able to recognize and describe the works of these amazing illustrators.