The Book to Art Club Big Read Is Almost Here!

September 8, 2018

Readers, start your pages! It's almost time for the very first Book to Art Club Big Read.

The Book to Art Club will be celebrating its five-year anniversary this October, and to honor this momentous occasion, we are inviting all of our clubs to participate in the Book to Art Club Big Read in October and to send us copious pictures of the events to share on this blog.

We have chosen Madeleine L'Engles's A Wrinkle in Time for its appeal to all ages. A Wrinkle in Time has already been added here, in case you'd like to peek at the discussion questions or start brainstorming project ideas.

The Book to Art Club at Camp Read-a-Lot

August 18, 2018

by Ann Miller

The Book to Art Club was recently invited to speak at Camp Read-a-Lot in Mankato, MN by the Traverse des Sioux Library Cooperative. Camp Read-a-Lot was a one-day professional development conference for librarians and educators of young readers, grades 2 - 8, that included book discussions, making activities and a keynote talk on choosing appropriate Native American Literature for lessons and collections by Jane Harstad, Director of Indian Education for the Minnesota Department of Education.

At Camp Read-a-Lot, I had the opportunity to share how the Book to Art Club was started by the Library as Incubator Project founders Laura Damon-Moore, Erin Batykefer and Christina Jones (Endres) under their mission "...to promote and facilitate creative collaboration between libraries and artists of all types, and to advocate for libraries as incubators of the arts." The Book to Art Club's purpose is to show how reading combined with a hands-on project helps achieve a richer understanding of the book's themes, history and context.

After a brief presentation, I led a book discussion with collaborative LEGO building as a project on "The Stars Beneath Our Feet" by David Barclay Moore. I had a wonderful time with the campers, and at the other presentations, and I hope this will lead to the start of our first Minnesota chapter.

Odenton Launches with "Howl's Moving Castle"

June 21, 2018

Odenton Regional Library recently hosted their very first Book to Art Club session. They read "Howl's Moving Castle" by Diana Wynne Jones, watched the anime film by Hayao Miyazaki, and then compared the two during their discussion as they created their hands-on projects. Thank you Rebecca Rubenstein for sharing your pictures! We look forward to watching your club grow and seeing what you do next.

Davis Academy Brings STEM and Strength to Book Clubs

May 17, 2018

Today's post comes from Stacy Brown of Davis Academy in Atlanta, Georgia. What a splendid idea it was to incorporate digital apps into their projects. What an even more wonderful thing it was to bring mothers and daughters together to celebrate that girls are beautiful for being themselves. Well done!

by Stacy Brown

We have hosted quite a few book clubs. Here are some highlights:

We had our boys book club read Ghost by Jason Reynolds and then create their own tennis shoes using augmented reality apps.

Our girls book club read Bubble by Stewart Foster and made bubble tea and our own bubbles out of a recipe while discussing the book.

We did a mother/daughter book club with our girls and read Strong is the New Pretty by Kate Parker, a photo journalist. We had her come to visit and we took “strong selfies” of ourselves.

Our boys also read The Wild Robot by Peter Brown and we made robot paper toys. The boys have an upcoming Skype visit with author Jennifer Brown this Friday to discuss .

Our final girls book club of the year will be on Monday of next week discussing Prairie Evers by Ellen Airgood. We are still planning our activity for that one though.

The Book to Art Club Big Read

May 11, 2018

Can you believe that The Book to Art Club will be celebrating its five-year anniversary this October? In honor of this momentous occasion, we would like to propose to you a Book to Art Club Big Read for October.

We have chosen Madeleine L'Engles's A Wrinkle in Time for its appeal to all ages. A Wrinkle in Time has already been added here, in case you'd like to peek at the discussion questions or start brainstorming project ideas.

It would be wonderful to have as many groups and individuals participate as possible, so please join us this fall in celebration (and take lots and lots of pictures to share with this blog!).

The Cellist of Sarajevo by Stephen Galloway

Monsters, Moons, War and More

April 18, 2018

The last few months have been extra inspiring for Mead Public Library's Book to Art Club. We read The Cellist of Sarajevo by Stephen Galloway and reenacted our own war by shooting watercolors out of squirt guns at our papered target. We then used the stained papers to build a city together, and other elements from the story, as we considered the reading.

Monsters were drawn while we discussed The Boy Who Drew Monsters: A Novel by Keith Donohue. Magazine people were unwound and reassembled as we dissected Unwind by Neal Shusterman, and stuffed animal warriors were created as we explored the post-apocalyptic Mort(e) by Robert Repino.

We also had the wonderful opportunity to tour John Michael Kohler Arts Center's exhibit Out, Out, Phosphene Candle by Joy Feasley and Paul Swenbeck with its nautical elements before we discussed Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne and designed our own Nautilus submarines and sea creatures. And, we created paper floral wrist corsages and moon garlands as we deliberated over Anna-Marie McLemore's When the Moon Was Ours.

It has been a busy few wintry months and we are having a blast!

The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway

When the Moon Was Ours by Anna-Marie McLemore

Congratulations Camus!

December 21, 2017

Camus Public Library's Book to Art Club, and the Library as Incubator Project, was the subject of this delightful article written by local author and Book to Art Club member Kristina Lotz. Thank you for sharing this with us, Judy Wile! This was wonderful to read. I know I'm feeling inspired and excited to start a new year!

A Grimm Beginning for Columbia College Chicago Library

November 22, 2017

We are pleased to introduce one of our newest Book to Art Clubs, Columbia College Chicago Library. We are sure you will agree that their collage projects are stunning. Wecan't wait to see what they do next! Thank you, Kristy Bowen, for sharing these beauties with us. They are a delight to view!

Grimm's  Fairy TalesJacob & Wilheim Grimm (w/ illustrations by Kevin Colden)(IDW 2010) — Grimm's Fairy Tales
Jacob & Wilheim Grimm (w/ illustrations by Kevin Colden)
(IDW 2010)

by Kristy Bowen

On November 8th, we had our first Read! Talk! Make! Session for this year's title, Grimm's Fairytales. (Since they are plentiful, we used a variety of editions so that finding a copy in the library or through interlibrary loan was easier-and the more varied the illustrations, the better.) Our mode of choice for this first session was collage. Participants enjoyed discussing the tales, modern reinterpretations of them, and making collages with paper and discarded library materials.

Our end goal for the 2017-2018 academic year is to create our own handmade volume of Grimm Tales and accompanying artwork. We are also working on a display case on the library's first floor dedicated to our Book to Art Club selection and creations that will debut in the spring, when we will begin monthly sessions as we complete our book project, which will involve creating pieces for our favorite tales, layout, assembly, and binding.

American Gods and the Arts Center

November 21, 2017

by Ann Miller

For a season starter Mead Public Library's club coordinated with John Michael Kohler Arts Center to provide Book to Art Club members with a tour and project. The tour was of Mythologies: Eugene von Bruenchenhein and the story was American Gods by Neil Gaiman. The project, inspired by both the exhibit and the book, was design-your-own deity using cast plaster faces, ceramic chicken bones, paint, twine, and wire. Special thanks is owed to Craig Grabhorn for putting this together for us.

Eugene von Bruenchenhein

Our Deities

Getting Current with Camus

October 7, 2017

by Ann Miller

Judy Wile and Camus have been busy, busy, busy this year! So far they've read The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly, The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer, which got them featured in a local newspaper, Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote, and The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. Thank you, Judy, for sharing your club's masterpieces!

View slide show gallery for more inspiration!

A Visit to Bookworm Gardens

July 20, 2017

by Ann Miller

Last night Mead Public Library's Book to Art Club had the privilege of meeting at stunning Bookworm Gardens for a discussion of Lab Girl by Hope Jahren. Armed with scissors, we followed Allissa Montgomery, Gardens and Facilities Manager, on a nature walk and collected specimens for our Hiker Press Kits.

Once returned from our walk, we pressed flowers and leaves into our kits, decorated their cardboard covers, examined other specimens on slides under a microscope, and discussed our book. Lab Girl had been a hit, and so was our visit. What a treat it was to be outside among the plants and trees as we discussed a memoir about a geochemist and geobiologist and her work with plants and trees!

*Photo courtesy of Cate Bayles, Bookworm Gardens*

Congratulations Camas!

April 29, 2017

by Ann Miller

Camas Public Library's Book to Art Club was recently featured in a local publication, The Columbian. Features Reporter Scott Hewitt wrote a wonderful article highlighting Camas's discussion of "The Interestings" by Meg Wolitzer.

Hewitt's honest perception of the inner workings of a book club were spot-on in that each member will have different feelings about a story and its characters. This only enhances a discussion, so do not fret over choosing a title that everyone will adore. Focus on a story that will be interesting to discuss and inspiring to create from.

Based on the article's quotes, there were strong opinions of the story and characters, both positive and negative, but all were equally rewarded with s'mores and grown-up merit badges. The projects also varied, ranging from diorama to watercolor painting to summer camp inspired "God's Eye" weaving.

"...Wile not only provided s’mores for the group, but also displayed her own artistic take on the book in homemade merit badges for activities that are never, ever allowed at summer camp: Creative Curse Word Usage, “Up S#@!t’s Creek” Canoe Building, and, of course, Conspicuous Beer Consumption..."

Way to go, Judy Wile and Camas Public Library Book to Art Club!

Read The Columbian article here!

More Making at Mead

March 25, 2017

by Ann Miller

Last Fall Mead Public Library's Book to Art Club moved from our Loft meeting room to the truly inspiring ARTery, John Michael Kohler Arts Center's makerspace. Below are the projects from our first four discussions. Being around the everchanging ARTery has brought out more artistry in all of us. It has also brought in new members.

Our "True Grit" discussion, part of the NEA Big Read, had an outstanding attendance of 22 people! It didn't hurt that Craig Grabhorn, Alison Loewen, and Fred Miller from JMKAC coordinated a wonderful tour of the Holy Jewel Home exhibit, home of The Original Rhinestone Cowboy, Roy Bowlin. Craig and Alison also provided us with everything needed to create our own dazzling cowboy projects. As you can see, we had a blast!

"The Patron Saint of Ugly" projects were collages influenced by the main character's unique birthmarks. "The Heart of Everything That Is: The Untold Story of Red Cloud, An American Legend" projects focused on lighter, whimsical versions of arrows and dreamcatchers to contrast with the dark and violent story. We ended 2016 with "Challenger Deep" and created scribble art with wire, embroidery floss, and watercolor paint that was inspired by the artwork in the book.

The Patron Saint of Ugly by Marie Manilla

The Heart of Everything That Is: The Untold Story of Red Cloud, An American Legend by Bob Drury and Tom Clavin

The Influence of Brand

February 5, 2017

by Ann Miller

Caley Cannon, Art Librarian at Brand Library and Art Center, recently promoted The Book to Art Club through a presentation she gave at the California Library Association Conference. These are images from her PowerPoint presentation. As you can see, Brand made some wonderful projects during their discussions, and it looks like they had a great time doing it! (I love the paper houses and clay portraits! Your projects are truly inspiring.) Thank you, Caley, for sharing these with us and for promoting the Book to Art Club!

Where'd You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

The Light Between Oceans by M. L. Stedman

Making at Mead

February 5, 2017

by Ann Miller

Mead Public Library in Sheboygan had a productive season of reading and making last year. We read a variety of books geared toward both adults and teens. Below are selections from projects we made in Fall of 2015 and Spring of 2016.

"Unfathomable City: A New Orleans Atlas" by Rebecca Snedeker and Rebecca Solnit

"The Girl with All the Gifts" by M. R. Carey

Success at Scituate

January 22, 2017

by Ann Miller

Scituate Library found success with discussions of "Where'd you go, Bernadette" by Maria Semple, "The Interestings" by Meg Wolitzer, "Chasing Vermeer" by Blue Balliet, and "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak. Attendees created small crafts or studied different aspects of artists or art that each book talked about, according to Rachael Juskuv.

Inspired by Camas

January 10, 2017

by Ann Miller

Judy Wile of Camas Public Library sent these images of her club's projects. Wow, wow, wow! These projects are so beautiful and inspiring! Thank you so much for sharing these. We can't wait to see what you do next! (I know I am feeling even more excited about reading "The Brides of Rollrock Island" in March with Mead's club! Oh, the possibilities...)

"The Brides of Rollrock Island" by Margo Lanagan

"The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society" by Annie Barrows and Mary Ann Shaffer

An Outstanding Year for Milwaukee Public Library's East Branch

January 10, 2017

by Ann Miller

Milwauakee Public Library East's Book to Art Club was busy, busy, busy in 2016! Check out their wonderful projects and reads! (Their sculptures look particularly fun!) We can't wait to see what they have in store for 2017! Thank you Beth Gabriel for submitting this!

2016 Book Discussions

January: “The Rosie Project” by Graeme Simsion
February: “Through the Woods” by Emily Carroll
March: “Room” by Emma Donoghue
April: “The Man in the High Castle” by Philip K. Dick
May: “Euphoria” by Lily King
June: “The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry” by Gabrielle Zevin
July: “The Girl on the Train” by Paula Hawkins
August: Best of summer reading! Attendees brought their favorite summer read to share while having an open hour of crafting and coloring.
September: “The Ghost Bride” by Yangsze Choo
October: “Let’s Pretend This Never Happened” by Jenny Lawson
November: “Redefining Realness” by Janet Mock

Creativity Reigns at Davis Academy

December 30, 2016

by Ann Miller

Davis Academy was bustling with creativity this past year! Check out these amazing projects that tie in with their readings. Thank you Stacy Brown for submitting these wonderful pictures. We can't wait to see what you'll do in 2017! (As a fellow Book to Art Club member who enjoys creating culinary art projects, I'm now wondering if I can pair these mud cupcakes with butter beer!)

*We read "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" by J.K. Rowling to kick off the year.*

...and marauder's maps.  And, of course, we had butter beer! — ...and marauder's maps. And, of course, we had butter beer!

*We read "The War That Saved My Life" by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley and did finger knitting, since knitting is a way that they give to one another in the novel.*

*We also read "The Book of Scavengers" by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman and made secret messages out of code.*

Today we are discussing "Fuzzy Mud" by Louis Sachar and are making fuzzy mud out of slime.  We don't have pictures of that just yet, but we do have pictures of our mud cupcakes that we will be enjoying.       … — Today we are discussing "Fuzzy Mud" by Louis Sachar and are making fuzzy mud out of slime. We don't have pictures of that just yet, but we do have pictures of our mud cupcakes that we will be enjoying.
--Stacy Brown

Just Mercy at Madison Public Library

December 12, 2016

by Ann Miller

As part of UW-Madison's Go Big Read, Madison Public Library read "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson and created these poignant blackout poetry projects. Thank you Laura Damon-Moore for submitting these!