This sheet connects the theme with each title of the book. 

Each of my books has a theme - 

or "big idea" for 

my readers to think 

about, talk about, and explore. 

While "bravery" might be a main theme in "The Dot," 

it is not the only one. It is just a starting point. 

It is also about self confidence, great teaching,

kindness, and creativity. 

I'd love to hear what big ideas/messages/themes 

you/your readers come up with! 

Some of the books on the theme sheet

are collaborations with some wonderful writers and thinkers,

like Susan Verde, Marc Colagiovanni, and my 

twin brother, Paul Reynolds. 

For more info: 

https://www.reynoldstlc.org/tlc-books

 

Our Mother, the Human VCR's, 

and the "Dark Shadows" Storytelling Academy

I am writing this on Mother's Day, remembering how our mother, Hazel Reynolds enrolled my brother, Paul and me into an unusual storytelling "academy." That daily dose of intensive, group-storytelling help set the foundation of what became a lifetime of story-crafting and story-sharing. Mum helped plant the seed 40+ years ago that lead to the creation of our trans-media company, FableVision and my career as a children's book author and filmmaker.

 In 1966, a new soap opera, Dark Shadows, debuted on US television. Looking back at what television was offering back in those days, it is hard to believe that Dan Curtis pitched this Gothic series packed with vampires, witches, and werewolves - all set in a New England town - and got funding and made it a hit show for five years. 

Our mother was one of those "bitten" by the addictive charms of this spooky, smart, and elegant show. Paul and I were five years old when the show began, and I imagine my mother thought she could watch the show without us paying much attention to her "soap." However, we did watch Dark Shadows -- daily. The Collins family became part of our extended family. Barnabas was like an uncle- a quirky uncle who happened to be a 175 year old vampire.

Our family of seven lived, at the time in Chelmsford, MA on Samuel Road. We were the ranch house with the elaborate TV antenna on the roof, often being adjusted by our father, Keith, in his suit and tie and a pipe tucked in corner of his mouth. Both Dad and Mum were accountants and being a big family, Mum would work part-time for various companies, sometimes in the mornings, but some jobs had her working as late as 4 in the afternoon. 

This caused a dilemma. 

By the time she would get home, "her show" was over. Remember, this was pre-VCR days with no way to record the show. (By the way, the first home VCR was introduced in 1965, but it wasn't until 1975 began its way into most American homes, four years after Dark Shadows went off the air.)

So, if you weren't in front of the telly - you missed it.

Mum, being a problem-solver and motivated by her crush on a vampire, employed her twin sons to "record" the daily episodes by watching the shows and "replaying" them when she came home from work. We became her human VCR's and watched the show with mission-driven intensity. 

We had a job to do. 

We had to get the latest happenings of Collinswood to Mum. When we saw her car roll up the driveway, we would quickly put the tea kettle on and prepare for her to sit down at the kitchen table which transformed into the "story roundtable." These storytelling sessions lasted at least as long as the episodes, and usually longer as Mum and her story crew began "connecting the dots" in the show, pondering motivations of  characters, and making predictions about what tomorrow's episode might bring.

It was not until very recently that it occurred to be how powerful our "Dark Shadows Storytelling Academy" had been in our lives. Not only did we learn a lot about how to tell a story, but we shared incredible bonding time with our mother. These tales became a "campfire" to gather around and share the most important gift: Time together.

Note: We are blessed that Hazel is still with us, and at 87, lives on the Cape -  is still an amazing storyteller and still is smitten by a vampire named Barnabas. Our father, Keith seemed not to mind her infatuation. After all, Barnabas was 130 years older, very pale, and with an odd set of teeth.

A few years ago, we bought Mum a paver on the Rose Kennedy Greenway in Boston. Here she is with Paul proudly inspecting her tribute!

A 6th Grader's Journey to "Ish" -How a Book Planted a Seed

I visited a school in New Jersey a few months ago and had the pleasure of meeting a 6th grade student named Sydney who had written an essay called, "Nobody’s Perfect" inspired by my book, Ish. I share this not only for her inspiring words of her own "journey to ish" -but because the inspiration was delayed. I love that a book can plant a "seed" and sprout when it is most needed.



Nobody is perfect

by Sydney Abraham

Nobody is perfect. 

 That is a fact. 

Not a scientifically proven fact, but more like a fact that, quite frankly, most people refuse to believe. People want to be perfect. It is human nature to want to be 100,000,004% perfect. 

I used to be like that. I would cry and scream and shout if I did something incorrectly. Everything had to be exactly accurate and correct. I would not settle for anything below amazing.

All that changed one day in first grade.

My first grade teacher read us a story called “Ish” by Peter H. Reynolds. This book illustrates that being a little imperfect is okay. It also suggests that older brothers are pests, but who doesn’t know that already? 

In the story, a little boy draws a picture. His brother belittles his picture and says all sorts of mean things about it. The boy, Ramon, was very upset. Ramon’s sister comes and comforts him and tells him that his drawing is very good and that their brother was just trying to get on Ramon’s nerves. She said the drawing was fine- not perfect, but good enough. Ish.

When I first heard that story, it was just another story that my teacher read to us during story time. 

A couple weeks later, I was trying to perfect a picture that I was drawing.  It wasn’t turning out that way, and I was frustrated. I was not a happy camper. Then I remembered that book, “Ish”, that we had read in school. At that moment, and at many moments that would follow, I realized that was so important that it needed to be perfect. 
Settling for “Ish” was good enough for me.  


It was that day, not when we actually read the book, but when I discovered its true meaning, that really did change the way I look at life.  

To this day, whenever I try to do something perfect, I remember that one picture book that changed my outlook on pretty much everything that’s important in life.

I still try to do my very best every day, but I know nothing will ever be completely perfect. I now know that if you try to be perfect in everything you do, then you will never achieve anything. You will be too busy trying to perfect everything that you’ve ever done. Of course, everyone is a perfectionist in his or her own way. I will not settle for any grade below an A- or a B+. Some people will spend an hour trying to make the finishing touches on a picture they drew for fun. Others spend endless amounts of time trying to improve in a sport they love. 

For me, perfecting little things like these is okay, but I’d rather spend time improving, not perfecting, but improving, the bigger things in life. I believe that nothing in this universe is perfect, everything from the smallest molecule to the largest galaxy has its flaws. 

Nothing is perfect. 

It never has been, never will be. 

Everything is a little imperfect, “ish”, 

and that’s just fine by me."


Sydney reminds us of the true power of books -that the "aha" may not happen on that first read, or second or third. It may not happen for weeks or even years, but the seed is indeed planted -tucked deeply within - and may eventually take root, sprout and enlighten when it is most needed. 

Another Stellar Day

Greetings from Bologna! Another beautiful - yes, stellar - day here in Italy! Just a bit further up on Independenza Ave you will find my hotel, The Metropolitan. Well, not MY hotel. My home for 5 days! If you are ever looking for a place to stay - you'll be very happy here.

I had dinner last night with Marinella Barigazzi, a wonderful author here in Italy, who also translated a few of my books into Italian. She did not get a credit for her work in "Il Punto," (The Dot) but hopefully in the next edition the publisher will correct that. I noticed she gets credit though on certain sites selling the book like -- this one - IBS.IT. She showed me her newest book, in fact - gave me a signed copy - of (roughly translated) "I Wonder" - a lovely book about a boy on a train seeing wonderful things that get his mind and heart racing. I a m a big fan of stories about the "journey." We spoke about FableVision's new story media division which is ramping up and looking for great published stories to animate and distribute. Hopefully, "I Wonder" will be part of our collection. Our goal is to gather the best, most thoughful and though-provoking children's and family stories from around the world and to share that wisdom with others.

I'm off to explore the Bologna Children's Book Fair today and tomorrow. Lots of meetings with publishers from around the world. I will be meeting up with my pals at Pippin Properties (my agents in NYC) for dinner. There's a party hosted by Egmont which is on my list, but I have to reserve some energy for a few book projects on my plate! I am reserving all day Wednesday to sketch, ink and paint in the Italian sunshine!

Wishing you a stellar day!

i vostri amici,
Peter

My new animation program for kids (and grown up kids!)

Well, my dream has come true! For years I have been teaching animation, but the tools were a bit daunting to those I tempted to give it a whirl. My pals at ToonBoom in Montreal teamed up with my company FableVision to create Animation-ish. If you have read my book, "ish"(Candlewick Press), you'll understand why we dubbed it ishfully. Check out http://www.animationish.com for the full scoop.  I am hoping that schools will see that animation is a way for kids to express what they know across the curriculum. Animation and art do not belong in a "box." They should not be relegated to an hour on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Creative tools belong at the fingertips of teachers and educators all day long. 

My Journal on My Creative Output

I've started jotting a few notes before I drift off to sleep to get me reviewing how much progress I made on my creative projects. I have several book contracts currently - yet another Judy Moody book, a book about a goat named Huck, my collaboration with Jess Brallier called "Tess's Tree." But I also have loads of stories in progress... and loads of ideas that have come to me as I go through my days. I have roughly estimated that I have 300 stories in my "vault." I realized that if I don't start speeding up the process that I'll never finish before I go to that Great Creativity Camp in the Sky.