WHEN EMILY WAS SMALL by Lauren Soloy - A story inspired by the writings of artist Emily Carr

Why read this book?

As a fan of Emily Carr's art, I was intrigued by the idea of finding out about what she was like as a young girl. This book provides is a fun way to share creative inspiration and art with young children. 

Summary from the publisher:

A joyful frolic through the garden helps a little girl feel powerful in this beautiful picture book that celebrates nature, inspired by the writings of revered artist Emily Carr.

Emily feels small. Small when her mother tells her not to get her dress dirty, small when she's told to sit up straight, small when she has to sit still in school.

But when she's in the garden, she becomes Small: a wild, fearless, curious and passionate soul, communing with nature and feeling one with herself. She knows there are secrets to be unlocked in nature, and she yearns to discover the mysteries before she has to go back to being small . . . for now.

When Emily Was Small by Lauren Soloy was published by Tundra Books in 2020.

 

My Thoughts as a Writer:

The lyrical language in this book just begs to be read aloud. Try reading the story aloud to study how the rhythm created by the phrasing and word choices carries you through the story.

My Thoughts as an Educator:

I loved the way this book tells us about the childhood of this famous artist, in way that explores imagination. Discovering the note at the back that explains how this story is based on Emily Carr’s own writing and her own thoughts about her childhood was a lovely surprise. This book would be a great one to incorporate into several lessons to consider the interesting word choices, the art and the connection to nature.

 Ages: 4-8

Grades: K – 3

Themes: imagination, creativity, nature

Activities:

Drama: At different places in the story, Emily felt small, wild and peaceful. Improvise movements or dance to show her different feelings.

 Art Talk: Provide children with some examples of Emily Carr’s work (https://aci-iac.ca/art-books/emily-carr/where-to-see) . Ask them to share their feelings and thoughts about each one. A question for discussion: Where do you see nature in her art work? Why do you think she’s an important artist?

Think & Draw: Have there been any times when you felt small? Draw a picture to show a time when you felt small.

Create: Look closely at the greens you see out the window. Try to see all the different greens. Experiment with paints to create several different shades of green by adding bits of white, black or other colours to a basic green pain. Make your own painting using different shades of green.