The Beaty Biodiversity Museum and the Children’s Writers and Illustrators of BC Society joined forces to create an amazing exhibit of kid’s books on nature. The morning began with readings by authors Tiffany Stone, Melanie Jackson, Lori Sheritt-Fleming, Sue Ann Alderson, Carol McDoughall, Shar Levine and Leslie Johnstone. The writers shared stories and spoke to an enthusiastic audience about owls, bad animals, hungry alligators, salmon, birds and the lint in your belly button. Art work by illustrators Elizabeth Shefrin, Kirsti Wakelin, Lisa Cinar and others graced the walls of the museum. Children were invited to work with the artists on take-home projects including paintings, rubbings and collage birds. Publishers generously donated copies of the books by the featured participants. Guests to the museum are welcome to read the books in a comfy chair located next to the temporary library shelf.
This is not the first collaboration between the Beaty and CWILL B.C. For the last 5 years the museum has hosted Celebrate Science, an annual festival of children’s science writers and a featured UBC scientist. Videos of the event can be found on www.sciencelady.com under the media link.
The exhibit runs from September 28th through to February 2015. If you haven’t visited the museum, this is the perfect time to take your children to the Beaty. Families can learn not only about biodiversity in their own backyards, but they can also discover the authors and illustrators that live in their neighbourhoods.
