Ron Broda - illustrator

[Amy Derwin <amygal@GLOBAL2000.NET>]

Hi Group!!

        I wanted to share with you my recent experience with illustrator,
Ron Broda.  Back in October, I did a Caldecott unit with the second grades.
At the end of the unit each second grade class choose two books to nominate
for our own Caldecott Award.  I selected 8 judges to choose our Caldecott
Award and 2 honor books.  Since it would have been too difficult to find out
if the illustrator of each book was from the US or not, I just accepted all
illustrators nominated.  The book chosen for our award was Waters, written
by Edith Newlin Chase, and illustrated by Ron Broda.  After our award
ceremony, I went back into the second grade classrooms and had all the
students write a letter to Mr. Broda and tell him about the award.  I mailed
the letters (approx. 125) to Mr. Broda, c/o the publisher.  Well two months
later I received two packages in the mail at school with hand written
labeling.  Mr. Broda was so overwhelmed with the letters that he personally
sent a thank you letter, a Christmas card, a copy of his newest book that he
illustrated, a poster for the book for each class, and enough autographed
bookmarks for every student in second grade!!!   I tried to get a second
copy of the new book, (called Have You Seen Bugs?, written by Joanna
Oppenheim) but found out it hasn't been released in the states yet - Mr.
Broda is from Canada.
        Well, to make this man even more of a wonderful person in all of our
eyes, he called the library the other day and just wanted to thank us again
for the wonderful letters that he received.  He was so thrilled with them all.
        For anyone that has not seen his first book, Waters, it is really
beautifully illustrated.  The illustrations are paper sculptures that have
been painted with watercolor, and then photographed.  The illustrations in
his second book, Have You Seen Bugs? are done in the same manner.  They are
really great, and so is he!!

Amy E. Derwin
amygal@global2000.net
Galway Elementary School
Galway, NY