Ready to bring some drama to your classroom? 🎬 In this episode of Picture This, host Adam Lehrhaupt chats with children's book and graphic novel author Marcy Colleen, who uses her theater background to create dynamic and emotionally rich stories for young readers. A former teacher herself, Marcy shares invaluable insights and activities for making literature more engaging and inclusive for all students.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How to use theatrical techniques like pacing, rhythm, and emotional beats to captivate an audience during a story reading.
• Why teacher's guides should be more than just worksheets and how they can be used across subjects.
• How to use quiet moments to draw students in and create a powerful sense of suspense.
• The crucial importance of diversity in literature and making room for all voices at the table.
• Fun, cross-curricular activities like a "point of view" exercise and a "character outline" to help students deepen their understanding of a story.

Marcy's Book Bag Recommendations:

• Penguinaut! by Marcy Colleen
• Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
• Alfie (The Turtle That Disappeared) by Thyra Heder

Creative Prompts & Activities:

• Character Outline: Draw a character outline on a large piece of paper. Inside, write what you know about the character. Outside, write what you want to know. Then, write a story to answer the questions on the outside!
• The "Quiet Moment" Reading: Practice reading a favorite picture book, using very quiet whispers during moments of suspense to draw your audience in.

Don't just read a story—perform it! 📖 Like, share, and subscribe to Picture This for more ways to ignite a love of reading in your students.

YouTube Video Chapters

• 0:00 - Introduction and Background Connections
• 0:11 - Theater Influence on Writing
• 5:14 - Creating Engaging Educator Guides
• 9:00 - Curriculum Development and Classroom Activities
• 13:24 - Diversity in Literature and Storytelling
• 22:37 - Capturing Emotion and Rhythm in Writing
• 25:33 - Adam's Book Bag: Marcy's Top Picture Book Recommendations
• 27:14 - A "Story Spark" on Diversity & Inclusion
• 34:48 - Final Thoughts & Where to Find Marcy
• 35:24 - Outro