Draw!

 

Draw! by Raul Colon

https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Draw!/Raul-Colon/9781442494923

1. Bibliography 

Raúl Colón. (2014). Draw! Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers.  

ISBN 9781442494923 

2. Plot Review 

This picture book is a wordless book. The book begins with pictures of a young boy in his bedroom reading a book about Africa. The young boy then begins to sketch in his sketch book and the reader is transported into the young boy's imagination of being in Africa, where his first encounter is with an elephant. The elephant helps him travel through the savannah of Africa to encounter many other animals for him to sketch. The story ends with the boy saying goodbye to the elephant and being transported back to his bedroom and finally ending up in a classroom where he displays his drawings and explains these drawings to his classmates. 

3. Critical Analysis 

The author/illustrator Raul Colon has created a story without words. Colon begins the story with pen and ink drawings and colored pencils. These pages are the beginning of the story and give the reader details of the young boy in his room where he is lying in bed reading a book on Africa. The reader will notice that the author has added details such as a sketchbook nearby, along with pencils and a sandwich and a glass of water and medicine on the nightstand. When the young boy uses his imagination to transport himself to Africa, Colon illustration’s change. They become softer and more dreamlike, although it does look like Colon uses a tool to create lines (like a fingerprint) to add texture to the animals and the background. This is where he changes from pen and ink to using watercolors. The pictures of the animals in Africa are very appealing to the reader. The author puts the young boy into these dreamlike pages and readers watch as the young boy interacts with the animals and sketches them. These interactions are illustrated with such details that the reader will watch the boy sketch an animal and will notice in the background other animals that the boy will get closer to and sketch. It is a marvelous adventure and draws the reader into imagining the excitement that the young boy must feel being up close and personal to the animals. The author transitions back to pen and ink at the conclusion of the story, so the reader knows that they are no longer in the young boys' imagination but instead back into the ‘real” world. 

4. Review Excerpts 

• Kirkus Reviews (starred review): “A wordless picture book celebrates the power of art and imagination.”  

• Booklist (starred review): “A true celebration of where our imaginations can take us.”  

• School Library Journal (starred review): “Young artists will love this book, as will all children who know the joy of exploring their own imaginations.”  

5. Connections 

• Use the book Draw! (or any wordless book) Give students an opportunity to pair up and tell the story in their own words. 
• Draw! Is a terrific book to put in the hands of non-English speaking students. This gives teachers and students an opportunity to work on vocabulary using familiar pictures of animals. It also gives the student an opportunity to imagine the words that are in the book. 
• Students can think about topics that interest them. Then create a mini book with drawings, and let their imagination complete their story like Raul Colon did with Draw! (Some ideas might include recess, a person who interests you, a hobby etc..) As a class students can brainstorm ideas. 
• There is an Author’s Note at the end of the book. Discuss why the Author would include this note at the end of the book.  
• Here is a link to a site with wordless book suggestions . Here is another link to wordless picture books at Reading Rockets