SUMMER READING CHALLENGE: FOUR CREATE ARTISTS SHARE FAVOURITE CHILDREN’S BOOKS
We have partnered with The Reading Agency for this year’s Summer Reading Challenge, designed to ignite children’s imaginations and foster creativity through the joy of reading.
This year’s Challenge theme is ‘Marvellous Makers’, encouraging children to explore new stories, join free library activities, and express creativity through various art forms. Our own professional Create artists have designed seven creative activities accompanying this year’s Challenge, from junk modelling to music, dance to drawing and painting.
We asked four of these inspirational artists – Alejandra Carles-Tolra, Beth Coleman, Rachel McGivern, and Paul Pickford – to share their favourite books and share how these stories inspire their creativity, showcasing the magical link between reading and artistic expression.
ALEJANDRA CARLES-TOLRA (PHOTOGRAPHER)
What is a book that inspires you?
“Press Here, by Herve Tullet”
How has it inspired your creative practice?
“With my artistic practice, I encourage myself and others to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary. What I love about this book is that it turns simple circles into something really fun and exciting.”
Why should children read it?
“It demonstrates how simple it can be to be creative and use your imagination. It shows that you can have fun with anything in life.”
BETH COLEMAN (DANCER)
What is a book that inspires you?
“Dr. Seuss: Oh, the Places you’ll Go!”
How has it inspired your creative practice?
“I love the words and rhythm in this book. The language and illustrations conjure up amazing imagery in my head of this fun, outrageous and unpredictable story.
“It encourages me to think bigger when creating work, not take the obvious choice, and that any idea is worth exploring, even if it leads nowhere – I would have learnt something along the way which will be useful when I least expect it.
“I find it especially inspiring when I’m having a block. As an artist, this can feel scary but this book reminds me that it is completely normal and happens to everyone. Waiting just around the corner is a moment of brilliance (or an elephant on skates!) and I just need to trust I will find it when it’s right.”
Why should children read it?
“It’s easy to think that everybody else has it all figured out, especially when we feel like we don’t. But this book is a great reminder that life doesn’t follow a straight line, and there will be many twists and turns along the way. And who knows what magic awaits!”
‘You’re off to great places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So … get on your way!’ – Dr. Seuss
RACHEL MCGIVERN (VISUAL ARTIST)
What is a book that inspires you?
“I really love the book Beastly Tales from Here and There by Vikram Seth, which I was given a copy of as a child.”
How has it inspired your artistic practice?
“I ended up studying illustration at university because I was really inspired by seeing how illustrations can add excitement and interest to stories.
“The copy of Beastly Tales from Here and There I own has small, beautiful ink illustrations of animals with funny expressions and a sense of playfulness. I always try to bring energy into the art I make, and love using materials like ink, paint, pencils and collage as they look handmade and unique.”
Why should children read it?
“The book is made up of funny short stories, which rhyme, with lots of cheeky animals and characters.
Vikram Seth was inspired by fables from lots of different countries about animals – India, China, Greece, Ukraine – and he’s even made up his own stories about the Land of Gup.
I think this book is a good reminder that we can be playful with storytelling, come up with our own versions of old stories and also use art and drawing to bring them to life.”
PAUL PICKFORD (VISUAL ARTIST)
What is a book that inspires you?
“A book that inspired and inspires me is The Iron Man by Ted Hughes.”
How has it inspired your creative practice?
“It inspired my artistic practice by being full of cool, weird and mysterious imagery and ideas. Also, the copy that I first read at school had brilliant illustrations that didn’t show too much but worked with your imagination. For example, the artwork showed the size of the space/bat/angel/dragon without any detail of precisely what it looked like. A great example of what illustrations should do, working with the words and not replacing or repeating them. On reflection, early in the story The Iron Man makes himself, which would have fuelled my model making and sculpture ideas.”
Why should children read it?
“I think it will intrigue and inspire them and for the best reason – it’s fun!”
@pickford7076 @paulpickford7076
Our Patron Isy Suttie has also shared a favourite children’s book with us and why she thinks creativity is so important. You can head over to her interview here.