Worlds of Words Center Receives Large Donation of Art from Mary J. Wong

by Rebecca Ballenger, Associate Director of Worlds of Words Center

Mary J. Wong, renowned collector of art and signed, first-edition children’s picturebooks, donated sixteen original picturebook illustrations to the Worlds of Words (WOW) Center of Global Literacies and Literatures in the UArizona College of Education. The donation includes works from some of the most notable children’s picturebooks published in recent years – including art by illustrators attending the Tucson Festival of Books.

Young woman locates illustrations in picturebooks that correspond to the original art.

WOW Center staff member, Aika Adamson, sets up display of Juana Martinez-Neal illustrations that are part of a new donation from Mary J. Wong.

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Imagination Friday with Drew Daywalt and Molly Idle

Meet Drew Daywalt and Molly Idle to hear about their new picturebook, Twinkle Twinkle Little Kid, a hilarious story about wishes and friendship. Everybody knows that kids wish upon stars, but did you know that stars wish upon kids, too? When Clyde makes a wish on a star before bedtime, he doesn’t expect the star to actually show up in his bedroom!

Drew and Molly introduce their new book and their process of writing and illustrating this book, invite children to create their own stories and answer questions.

Host: Kathy Short, Professor of Teaching, Learning and Sociocultural Studies and Director of WOW
Panelists: Drew Daywalt and Molly Idle
Co-Sponsor: Tucson Festival of Books

Drew Daywalt is the New York Times bestselling author of The Day the Crayons Quit, The Day the Crayons Came Home and The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors. Although he grew up in a haunted house in Ohio, he now lives in Southern California, haunted by only his wife, two kids and a German Shepherd. His favorite color is Black.

Molly Idle is the author and illustrator of the Caldecott Honor Book Flora and the Flamingo and the Flora series, the Rex series and Pearl. Molly lives in sunny Arizona with her marvelous, multi-generational family which includes: her brilliant husband, two mercurial sons, two remarkable parents and a pair of snugly cats.

Copies of the books featured on Imagination Fridays can be ordered from UArizona BookStores.

Imagination Fridays is co-sponsored by the Tucson Festival of Books and Worlds of Words/University of Arizona and will occur one Friday a month at 1:00-1:45 pm from September to December with a new author and/or illustrator to introduce a brand new book. Add excitement to Fridays with world-renowned children’s authors and illustrator to promote new books and encourage children as readers, writers and illustrators.

Tucson Festival of Books logo with sponsors listed

Virtual Tour of Critique to Support and Stretch

By Rebecca Ballenger, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ

Brutal honesty connects award winning illustrators Juana Martinez-Neal and Molly Idle. An exhibit of original illustrations and picturebooks put this partnership front and center at Worlds of Words. The pandemic brought Critique to Support and Stretch: A Conversation between Juana Martinez-Neal and Molly Idle to an early close–but not before we filmed a virtual tour. Take a look!

Virtual Tour of Worlds of Words Center’s Critique to Support & Stretch Exhibit from UArizona College of Education.

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Imagination Friday with Molly Idle and Beth Ferry

Join Molly Idle and Beth Ferry to hear about their new picturebook, We Believe In You. Animals inspire their little ones to chase their dreams and reach for the stars. This stunning picturebook is about the joy of believing in yourself and in one another! Molly and Beth share the process of writing and illustrating their new book, invite children to create their own stories and answer questions.

Imagination Fridays participants can order signed copies of the books featured at https://shop.uabookstore.arizona.edu/main/wildcats/TFOB/Children.

Host: Kathy Short, Professor of Teaching, Learning and Sociocultural Studies and Director of WOW.
Panelists: Molly Idle and Beth Ferry
Co-Sponsor: Tucson Festival of Books

Beth Ferry is the New York Times bestselling author of Stick and Stone, illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld, The Scarecrow illustrated by The Fan Brothers, and many other books. She lives in New Jersey with her husband, three children and two bulldogs.

Molly Idle is the author and illustrator of the Caldecott Honor Book Flora and the Flamingo and the Flora series, the Rex series and Pearl. Molly lives in sunny Arizona with her marvelous, multi-generational family which includes her brilliant husband, two mercurial sons, two remarkable parents and a pair of snugly cats.

Imagination Friday is co-sponsored by the Tucson Festival of Books and Worlds of Words, University of Arizona College of Education and occurs Fridays from 1 to 1:40 p.m. through December 2020 with a different author or illustrator each week. Add some excitement to Fridays with world-renowned children’s authors and illustrator to promote new books and encourage children as readers, writers and illustrators.

Tucson Festival of Books logo with sponsors listed

POSTPONED: Reception for Critique to Support & Stretch Exhibit with Juana Martinez-Neal & Molly Idle

***POSTPONED***
WOW has suspended all events to be held in the center for the time being. Please email wow@email.arizona.edu with questions.

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Portrait of Juana Martinez-Neal Join Worlds of Words for a reception for our current exhibit with special guests, award-winning illustrators, Juana Martinez-Neal and Molly Idle!

Enjoy refreshments, great conversations, time to browse “Critique to Support & Stretch: A Conversation between Juana Martinez-Neal & Molly Idle,” and experiences around art critique and the elements of art.

Guests will want to pay careful attention to Flora and the Flamingo, a visual narrative Idle illustrated, and Alma and How She Got Her Name, which Martinez-Neal wrote and illustrated. These books earned Caldecott honors and viewing the work up close with comments from the creators is a special experience. The exhibit also includes a recently acquired piece by Martinez-Neal from Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story, which was written by Kevin Noble Maillard and earned the 2020 Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award and an American Indian Youth Literature Honor by the American Library Association.

Read our press release for more information about this exhibit.

The University of Arizona BookStores will offer books for sale and autographing during this event. The workshop includes a professional development certificate for teachers.

RSVP to wow@email.arizona.edu preferred, but not required.

This event is free and open to the public. Event details may change.

To request disability-related accommodations that would ensure your full participation in this event, please email wow@email.arizona.edu or call 520.621.9340.

Paid parking is available at the Second Street Garage next door to the College of Education. WOW is located just off the 2nd St. streetcar stop.

Exhibit Features Visual Conversation Between Caldecott Illustrators

By Rebecca Ballenger, Associate Director, Worlds of Words

Brutal honesty connects award winning illustrators Juana Martinez-Neal and Molly Idle. A new exhibit of original illustrations and picturebooks puts this partnership front and center at the Worlds of Words: Center for Global Literacies and Literatures in the University of Arizona College of Education. Critique to Support and Stretch: A Conversation between Juana Martinez-Neal and Molly Idle is free and open to the public who are encouraged to take in the exhibit and engage in visual critique.

Eva Halvax compares a panel from Alma with the original illustration in the WOW Studio.

English major, Eva Halvax (senior), studies illustrations that Juana Martinez-Neal and Molly Idle say are most representative of their artistic voice. The original illustrations are on loan and part of a new exhibit in Worlds of Words titled “Critique to Support & Stretch: A Conversation between Juana Martinez-Neal & Molly Idle.” Photo credit: Ileana Roman

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