Tag Archives: interview

SUPER STORY TIME

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It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s SUPER BIG MAN! Jadon, our high school summer intern, put together one of the most fantastic story times our library has ever seen, complete with jumps, landings, super poses, villains, a kidnapped Miss Katie, and flowing capes!

We read Ten Rules of Being a Superhero by Deb Pilutti (Henry Holt and Company, 2014). Captain Magma and Lava Boy are out and about the house and neighborhood. There are ten rules of being a superhero, from quick response time, to knowing your superpower, to making noise, and of course being brave. Unless there’s a bee in the garden and you’re scared, then your sidekick might need to rescue you.

You’ll need:

  • 1 white t-shirt
  • 1 cape & mask
  • Fabric markers for decorating

As far as story time projects go, this was our simplest yet! Kids decorated white t-shirts with fabric markers. Some wrote their super names, some drew their favorite things. My personal favorite was a tribute to Herbert the Super Turtle (whose origin story still remains a mystery)…

The superheros then received a shiny blue cape (a 20 pack on Amazon is $35). The capes were quite cute and fastened with Velcro. Fabric eye masks with elastic bands also came in the set, but we didn’t hand those out just yet. You had to earn the eye masks by completing all your super tasks!

And this is where things got really awesome.

Our summer intern Jadon knocked it out of the park playing SUPER BIG MAN. When it was time to introduce the craft project, he came leaping into the story time area, posing, booming, and just generally being all around super. He chatted with the kids while they were working on their shirts (and added stars if they wanted), asked them about their super powers, gave fist bumps, and just absolutely rocked it.

When everyone had their shirts and capes on, Jadon took them through some superhero poses. Then he moved the gang on to power jumps (leaping over a soft block):

Next he demonstrated the classic superhero landing and invited the kids to try it too. We used a padded mat for safety. Just look at this perfect form!

Finally, Jadon lead everyone outside to find good deeds to accomplish. But unbeknownst to the kids, the evil Dr. Zafarious was hiding behind a tree on the library plaza. Dr. Zafarious was EPICALLY played by the talented Zachary Painter, Assistant University Librarian for Science and Engineering. While the kids were practicing their super poses, Dr. Zafarious swooped in and kidnapped Miss Katie! The superheroes quickly sprung into action and saved the day. And yes, we did get everything on video…

Villain thwarted, the kids earned their masks and we headed back inside for some epic cape blowing poses in front of box fans. It really was an amazing story time full of good feels and smiles. You could tell the kids were just so proud of themselves.

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This story time would not have been possible with the boundless energy and creative planning of Jadon, who is a rising high school sophomore and official library legend! We caught up with him for a quick  interview…

Tell us a little about yourself!

I live with a family of 4 (extended family aside), each person in my biological family is musical in at least one way. Most common in singing or piano. I’ve been attacking all sides, including other instruments. I’m a multi-instrumentalist and a producer. I’m an aspiring actor as well. I’m taking acting coaching from Jerry Compiere, a highly accomplished musician and part time drama producer.

What is your superpower?

My superpower is Intelligence. Intellectually, I’m able to compensate for my strength, have a good alias, and I’m able to look a little stupid to hide the fact I’m not. I can read people, and I’m pretty outgoing.

How was story time at Cotsen?
AMAZING! Story time was such a different experience, it’s difficult to put it into words. Cotsen was an extremely different experience from all the other places I’ve worked. And I’ve worked in daycares before with my father. He works in one now. It was much different to be seen as a special guest kinda like SNL and I were Bruno Mars. It was amazing from the moment I entered and heard the kids gasp in amazement. I loved working there and I hope one day I can work there once more.

What’s next for Big Man, superhero extraordinaire (and Jadon)?

Big Man is trying the “Clark Kent thing.” Laying low, being normal (Somewhat normal) and being ready to save the world when needed. And Jadon…he’s going to figure out who he is and what he has to contribute to the world. Direct quote from Big Man, “I’m starting with the man in the mirror. I’m asking him to change his ways. And no message could’ve been any clearer. If they wanna make the world a better place. Take a look at yourself and then make a change.”

Studio Snapshots: Olivia de Castro

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Welcome to Brooklyn, and the lovely little studio space of illustrator Olivia de Castro! You might recognize her  from this recent library event, where she and other artists joined us to celebrate Ulises Carrión.

pcm 2_1Vibrant and full of color and characters, Olivia’s illustrations capture moments and interactions with tremendous joy and energy (check out her portfolio here!). Her newest release, Great Idea Malia! (Holiday House, 2024) comes out this September. Here’s a sneak peek of the cover…

My commute to work every morning is pretty short, since my workspace is in my living room. Even though it’s small, I enjoy the coziness of my prewar apartment in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. I seem to be allergic to hanging up my art prints on the wall, so I like to prop them up along my desk instead. My goal is to eventually hang them all up in the style of a gallery wall; they are a great source of inspiration.

To start my day I always need a fresh mug of hot tea and a glass of ice cold water. If I don’t have at least 2 liquids on my desk at all times, I can’t get any work done! I work in mixed media and I start my illustrations with traditional mediums at my desk. My rolled pencil case includes a variety of tools that I can reach for in order to get the textures I want, including various watercolors, gouache, micron pens, colored pencils and markers.

My favorite tools at the moment are a simple mechanical pencil and my trusty Pentel brush pen. I always finish my pieces digitally after scanning in my textures and brushwork.
Even though I’m working in a smaller space, I am able to fit everything I need in my little corner. My desk and chair were passed down to me from my grandfather, and working at his desk makes me feel closer to him and my family. Having the flexibility to work from home is incredibly useful, it allows me to work comfortably in my living room or I can take my work on the road.

When I am not illustrating in my apartment, my favorite spots are my local coffee shop, the library, and even Prospect Park for a change of scenery and some fresh air.

Images by Matthew DePrizio, and courtesy of Olivia de Castro

Go Big! It’s Broadway!

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Clap your hands, stamp your feet, and get ready to boogie woogie with Latte the dalmatian dog…it’s a massive parade down Broadway, and you’re invited! We were delighted to host author and illustrator Laura Ann Trimble Elbogen, who wowed the crowds with her energy and enthusiasm. And don’t miss our chat with her at the end of the post!

We read Latte’s Broadway Boogie Woogie by Laura Ann Trimble Elbogen (Laura Ann Studio, 2023). Latte the dalmatian and the girl in red have a special horse-drawn delivery for a wedding. But as they encounter more and more musicians, the entire endeavor turns into a lively parade of trombones, clarinets, drums, piano, and dancing New Yorkers. Based on snappy beats of boogie woogie music, this book will get you up and marching!

At the heart of the book is a sweet dog named Latte, so for our project we made box dogs kids could pull on a clear elastic strings. Instructions for that project can be found here. However, we also added a sassy little plastic cape to the pup, just like Latte in the story. We also wanted kids to be part of the musicality of the book, so we distributed jingle bell bracelets as well (though some quickly became anklets!).

One of the interesting things about the book is that the illustrations are based on Dutch artist Piet Modrain’s painting “Broadway Boogie Woogie.” Laura brought a print of it with her, as well as examples of boogie woogie music. It was very lively!

I caught up with Laura after story time to chat about her book, and the fabulous inspirations behind it!

Hi Laura! Tell us a little about yourself!

I am a San Francisco based author-illustrator, artist founder of Laura Ann Studio, and mom of three. I studied art history and played tennis at Princeton. My husband and I are both Class of 2007 graduates. When we got married we led our own wedding parade from the Princeton University Chapel to T-Sweets ice cream.

At story time, you brought in a print of a painting that inspired your book’s artwork…can you tell us a little bit about it?

I fell in love with the painting “Broadway Boogie Woogie” (1942-43) by the Dutch artist Piet Mondrian on my lunch break when I was an intern at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Mondrian moved to New York City from the Netherlands to escape World War II and he fell in love with American jazz. He painted in primary color squares and lines that in this painting are meant to evoke the bright lights and energy of the city, from the people and taxis to the jazz and Broadway theater district.

Can you also tell us about boogie woogie music and dance?

I used to boogie woogie swing dance with my grandparents who grew up with boogie woogie music and dance and it was so much fun! The term was coined by pianist Clarence “Pinetop” Smith in 1928, almost 100 years ago! His quick playing rhythmic piano blues style became so popular it evolved into the big band jazz and swing dancing era that Mondrian would have seen and heard in New York City when he painted “Broadway Boogie Woogie.” Maybe he heard Tommy Dorsey’s big band song “Boogie Woogie” when he was walking down Broadway?

We based our story time project on Latte, the little dalmatian dog in a red cape. Does this character have an origin story?

When I first moved to New York City after college it was like heaven for me! Born and raised in Indianapolis, I was a Midwest girl living the New York City dream working in fashion and the arts. On the weekends I really felt like I was living the dream if I could take a blanket to Central Park and camp out with a latte, the New York Times, and my sketch book. I also did a lot of Saturday morning sketching and latte drinking at a wonderful hole in the wall coffee shop called Arte Around the Corner on the upper west side where I would read, sketch, and people watch. I spotted a lot of great dogs in those days. Sadly I’m allergic to dogs, but of all the dogs I watched I loved Dalmatians the most for their curious, happy energy, the skip in their step, and the friendly wag of their tail.

Tell us more about New York City…how did the it inspire your writing and illustrations?

I love New York City so much! Much of my time there I spent living on the upper west side just behind Lincoln Center. One of my favorite things to do on a sunny summer evening was to walk home from work along Broadway through the great public parks and plazas. When I ran programs and organized a festival called Archtober, Architecture and Design Month in New York City, we ran “Building of the Day” tours all around the city. I was constantly observing, appreciating, and sketching the urban design and architecture of the city.

What other exciting projects are you working on?

Latte’s Broadway Boogie Woogie is the first story in the Latte and the Goldmatians series. Sequels are coming! I’m also excited about a commissioned watercolor painting series and product line that I’m working on that empowers women in politics. Stay tuned for when Laura Ann Studio turns 15 this fall!