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. 

More Time To Spend Together

It's never too late to evolve your life philosophy.

My twin brother, Paul and I were heading into FableVision, our trans-media studios in Boston. We zipped along the back roads of our hometown of Dedham and sailed onto the highway entrance ramp. Paul swiftly stepped on the brakes as he saw the bumper-to-bumper traffic on Route 95. He eased the car into the slow moving mass. We began crawling at a few miles per hour. 

"Well, looks like we're stuck," I groaned, calculating how much of our day would be spent on the road. 

Paul looked at me with a smile and simply said,  

"More time to spend together." 

I couldn't help but smile too. Five words had melted my frustration -- instantly! 

The truth of his words sunk in during our pleasant two hour trip into Boston and have stayed with me ever since. 

If I find myself waiting in long lines at the airport with colleagues, family or friends and hear anyone sigh or complain I reach for the five words.  

"More time to spend together." 

Works every time. Smiles. Blood pressure lowered.

This is a great example of creative thinking, or what I like to call STELLAR THINKING. It's the kind of thinking that allows us to see new possibilities and discover answers to challenges right under our noses. It allows us to see the world in a more generous way. 

For example, a noisy classroom might seem as problematic as a traffic jam. I've been in a few classrooms where exasperated teachers were using lots of their precious energy to control the room. 

What I could see and hear was what I call "BEAUTIFUL NOISE."  

A room full of kids engaged and excited. 

Lots of thinking and exchanging of ideas. 

Laughter and smiles too. 

Joyful noise is much more satisfying than the sound of a "controlled classroom" with the clock ticking away. 

Stellar Thinking thrives on the ability to see patterns among chaos, to keep your sense of humor near at all times, to be ready to try the absolute opposite strategy to a solve a dilemma, to embrace mistakes as opportunities for creative problem solving, and to see the 30,000 foot view on a situation. Some situations might require the 60,000 foot view, but it really helps. 

I'm pretty certain this kind of approach to life will allow me to live longer -which will allow me to say:

"More time to spend together." 

Now THAT'S a good book!

Early on in my children's book career, I was out in Greeley, Colorado attending the debut of a musical version of my book, The North Star. A local bookstore invited me to do a book-signing while I was visiting. I ventured to the shop which was located in a mall. I could tell it was a well-loved bookshop with narrow aisles packed to the gills with books. I ventured through the maze looking for someone in charge. I spotted an older woman who looked like she had been working -and perhaps living -in this shop for decades. Her eyebrow went up when she saw me. 

"I'm Peter Reynolds. I'm here for the book-signing."

Her eyebrow lowered and her furrowed brow told me that she had no idea of who I was or what book I might be signing.  I was fairly new at all this and quite ready to help bring her up to speed. I mentioned a new series I was illustrating called "Judy Moody." I told her about my book "The North Star" and how a local Greeley music teacher and an accomplished jazz musician, Tim Beckman, had transformed my story into a musical and how I had attended a performance of it at the Union Colony Civic Center.

I was telling her all this as she shuffled down the aisles in search of, I was guessing, copies of my books to sign. She stopped suddenly and picked up a small blue book and swung around. It was a copy of "Mr. Popper's Penguins" by Richard and Florence Atwater released in 1938.

She pushed it a few inches from my nose for me to get a real good look at it and said, "Now THAT is a good book."

After recovering from my bewildered state, I found the section with my books and signed.  

Before leaving, I did one last thing. 

I bought a copy of "Mr. Popper's Penguins."

On the plane ride home, I read it.  

She was right. It WAS a really good book. 

Lost Children

We lose a lot of kids. 

And I mean A LOT of kids. Try well north of a half million kids a year in the USA. 

They simply drop out of public schools. (607,789 kids. (in 2008-9) according to the U.S. Dept. of Education)   That number boggles my mind. That is roughly the population of Vermont.

Let's imagine what the prospects of those "lost children" might be out there in the world with no degree, few skills, and the label of "a failure"? 

And let's venture a guess on who ends up helping shoulder their burden?

That's right: You and I.
 

Our communities have to dig deep to pay for the consequences of these "lost kids."

It's a shame that these kids, who leave school, do so without the skills to help us make things better.  If they could read, write, problem solve - and feel empowered -imagine tapping them on the shoulder to help architect schools that were boredom-proof? 

Ironic, no?

By the way, I'm a creative thinker, so I don't think all of these "lost kids" are truly lost.
Many do actually fight their way through and make a future for themselves.
Some of these "left fielders" actually do some amazing things left to their own devices.

Speaking of devices, technology is a pretty nifty "game changer." Kids don't need to be reminded to use their mobile devices. Keyboards are irresistable to even infants. Kids expect all screens to be touch screens. Tell kids to build a robot and they light up. Ask them to make a movie or an animated film and they'll work through the night. We've just begun to see the tip of the iceberg on how these tools will revolutionize learning.

Pretty obvious to me that with new tools - cross-pollinated with new thinking about what school is, what it can be, what it should be... and then we've got a shot at plugging back in one third of our country's future.
 

Engaged, creative, productive, innovative. 

Hey, isn't that the spirit that a participatory democracy thrives on?

Thinking for ourselves. 

Making own choices. 

Yet remembering that we're all in this together -- that our neighbors matter.

That's why my brother, Paul and I want to help press fast forward by launching a not-for-profit center dedicated to teaching, learning and creativity. We're interested in "out of the box" ideas that improve things- not just by a few percentage points - but by leaps and bounds. Applying  slightly improved "same old same old" approaches won't move the meter for those hundreds of thousands of kids who are falling off the grid each year. 

Those kids are our neighbors and our neighbors matter to us. 

We can't stand by and watch them suffer and miss the dream.

We count our lucky stars that we can make a difference.
That is what drives us. We get energized when we see kids light up. 

Teachers get recharged. Families get plugged in. Communities get energized.
 

We can't do this alone though... we need you. It's a complex challenge, but we love a good challenge. Many of the solutions to these challenges are ones that we already know work- but need room to breathe -and need to be protected and championed: conversation, listening, freedom, human connections- especially from caring mentors. Nothing beats an inspired teacher whose enthusiasm and energy inspires the same from those around them.

Explore our more at The Reynolds Center for Teaching, Learning & Creativity.

Update from my recent 2024 data search: Every year, over 1.2 million students drop out of high school in the United States alone. That's one student every 26 seconds – or 7,000 a day. 

Don't Miss the Clues

 

I was behind the counter of our book and toy store The Blue Bunny a few weeks ago on a Saturday, helping out Janet and Margie. A mother was paying for her items and her daughter ran up - very excited- and interrupted her. 

"Mom! Can I please get this?"

I noticed that it was one of my signed prints called "Dream Big" featuring a girl with a paintbrush admiring her creative affirmation. 

Her mom was determined to pay for her gathered items and get on with the day. With a quick glance at her daughter, she said firmly,

"No. Now put it back."

My heart lurched. This girl's wide eyes - imploring her mom for this print - were not noticed by her mother. 

"Pleeeeeease, Mom! PLEASE!" 

"No, put it back."

I thought how profound that moment was - this young girl, who resonated with the message: "DREAM BIG," was being told to "put the it back." This wasn't a can of soda or candy - this was a reminder to a young woman to make the most of her journey.  I hoped that, given the opportunity, her mother would applaud and encourage this vision for her child, but here on this busy day, the moment was going unnoticed. 

The clues - as to who her daughter was becoming-  were about to be missed. It wasn't that I wanted her to buy the print, rather just notice what sparked her daughter.

I took the plunge and spoke up.

"Keep it. That's a gift from me to you."

The girl's eyes grew wider. "REALLY?"

"Yes. That image spoke to you and I think it's very important for you to have it."

"THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!"

Her mom paused, trying to catch up with what was happening. She took a look at what her daughter was holding and smiled. "Thank you!"

It felt good to help get one of those clues noticed  I am hoping that this little print will hang on this girl's room, and then her college dorm wall, and in her office, and perhaps someday, in a little framed propped up on her desk in the Oval Office. 

Hey, I dream big! 

Happy 80th Birthday, Deb!

As a public service, I am sharing a wonderful e-mail from one of my my heroes: Deborah Meier who celebrates her 80th year this month. Hope it inspires you as it did me.

April 20, 2011
Dear Peter,
This month marks my 80th birthday. To every query about "what shall I give you on your 80th", I reply: "Give to FairTest."

As the billionaires pour billions--maybe trillions--into their school deform efforts on behalf of using tests to make all education decision, only one outfit is consistently out there answering them: Our David with its sling shot. Goliath will fall, eventually. But it will help if FairTest can struggle on.

Though FairTest has been around for only 25 years, its agenda is one I totally share. That's why I serve on the Board of Directors and make regular financial contributions.

If you think the work to which I have dedicated my life is important, please join me in making as generous a donation as possible to FairTest today.

To make your 80th Birthday gift honoring me, Deb Meier, please go online to https://secure.entango.com/donate/MnrXjT8MQqk; or mail your check to: FairTest, P.O. Box 300204, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130.

Many thanks for your best wishes and donations!

Deb Meier

P.S. I'm enjoying 80, it feels just as good as....79.

You're invited!

I love encouraging people to dive into the creativity pool. Sometimes all that is needed is the invitation. Consider yourself invited.

I carry my paper and paints everywhere I go and people get curious as to what I am doing - whether in a restaurant, a cafe, an airport, a plane. After showing them what I am working on, I will often slide a piece of paper in their direction and hand them a pen or brush. I love the look on their faces.

Well, kids of course - they light up!

Adults looks shocked and nervous.

"I can't draw." I smile at the response.

I gently invite them to give it a try - many times offering to make it a collaboration. After all, a party needs at least two people to really get going.

So, consider yourself invited. Whether it is the dusty piano that hasn't been plunked on for years, or the camera waiting to be taken on a safari through a city, or the empty sheets of watercolor paper aching to be splashed upon, or that fancy journal someone gave you that has seemed to precious to make a mark in... consider the invitation to plunk, play, sketch, write, draw, paint, and dream.

And then...

invite a friend or two.

Enjoy the pARTy. : )

Front-line Inspiration

I get quite a few folks asking me how to get started writing for children - something I love to hear because I DO feel that all of us has a story or two (or perhaps a trunk-load) to share with those around us. By the way, when I say "with those around us" - that could be our children, nieces, nephews, - and "grown up children" among our friends, family, and colleagues.

I sense that many aspiring childrens' book creators want to "make it big" by being published worldwide. I like to remind them that it's not necessary to "hit it big" with the Big World.

Sharing with your Small World is a wonderful place to start.
(You can keep that vision of world-wide distribution, but just tuck it out of view for a bit.)

Some of your best "critical friends" will be children. My own Small World is exquisite "front-line inspiration." I'm very lucky to have my very own book and toy store which I opened with my family in 2004. The photo above was taken in our workshop room. I was teaching an animation class using a program I created called Animation-ish. The two kids in the photo are both amazing spirits. Both are artists- and both inspire me.

Being around kid-energy is, for me, like breathing a special kind of oxygen. Ideas spark easily and rapidly. I keep my journal handy, as I teach, to capture the ideas for later pondering.

Kids often will tell me their ideas as they share their art and animation. My jaw drops at their originality. I often joke with them that they have 10 years to develop their ideas into books, but if they forget - their idea is MINE to run with! Their eyes get HUGE as they realize they just struck gold. That feeling, that an idea is precious, that it has merit and magic, is powerful. That feeling inspires an artist and author to stay close to their idea, the way a bird stays close to the eggs in its nest, tending it, patiently, until ready to be hatched and shared with the world - the Big World - or one's very own wonderful Small World.

If All Schools Felt Like This...

I was in one of local coffee shops in Dedham Square in my hometown of Dedham, Massachusetts during the middle of the week and I saw Ian, son of Cheryl (who has worked at our family-owned book & toy shop The Blue Bunny since the day we opened the doors seven years ago). It was a school day and THIS was his "school." So cool. S'cool.

Ian is home-schooled. He studies at home too, but he follows his mum into our charming downtown who works at the bookshop where he also studies. He also helps out at the cash register doing real-world math and refining his people skills while keeping up with all the latest book titles which he can then, in turn, recommend to other kids.

There are other spots in the Square that welcome Ian and his books and computer. He has become a fixture in our downtown, quietly working, drawing, animating - while the community cheers him on. We're all part of his "learning family."

As I stood waiting for my cappucino, I marveled at the cozy scene.

The fireplace.

The color.

No florescent lights - just beautiful, natural sunlight.

Music was playing.

Ian had his cranberry scone and his hot cocoa keeping him company.

What a wonderful - comfortable - inspiring way to learn.

Imagine if all schools were as cozy as this?

In my travels, I have found a few schools with some cozy touches. A rug, a sofa, holiday lights - mostly in the younger grades. I'd love to see more - across the age spectrum. Color. Music. Flowers. Gentler lighting. Pillows. Overstuffed armchairs. How about a cozy fireplace?

If you asked Ian - I am sure he'd agree.

All schools should feel this good.

Shape Goggles

My mentor, Doug Kornfeld (who I dedicated my book "Ish" to) challenged me to see more creatively. To see patterns and shapes. I realized by a very gentle nudging on his part - that I had been drinking in the detail and often was lost in it. I took a few courses with him in the late eighties/early nineties - and came to realize that he was really doing "therapy" with me by asking just the right question at just the right time.

He seemed quite happy to leave me pondering - not really waiting for the answer - and certainly not interested in the final product. Not in a mean way, he just wanted us to keep going, to keep exploring, to keep finding our personal breakthroughs.

Creating a drawing (noun) was not the point. Drawing (the verb) was the point.

And really great drawing is really engaged thinking.

I realized, at that moment, that seeing shapes and patterns was something I had always liked to do growing up, but now that I had become aware of it - with my "shape goggles" on - I started looking at things around me very differently. If you have seen the film, A Beautiful Mind, John Nash could "see" numbers glowing around him- and in the same way - I was seeing shapes emerge from trees, cars, buildings, faces.

Sifting through my many tin lunch boxes filled with scraps, sketches, doodles, I came across this drawing of St. Mary's Church in Dedham, MA I created awhile back, but its a good example of looking for the big shapes in an object. I then splashed colors to reflect the "spirit" of the church, rather than "getting it right" - or "accurate" as was so often taught to me in school.



So, I raise my "shape goggles" to salute Doug Kornfeld, and all those wonderful teachers and mentors around the world - who challenge us to go beyond the details and see essence - and to get our beautiful minds doing their wonderful magic.

The Plate of String

My brother, Paul joined me for a meal at a local restaurant, Aquitaine. We sat outside - perfect weather - savoring a meal together. The food was superb and the service was great - no, actually it was stellar.

The waiter checked in and asked, "Gentlemen, how is everything?"

Paul answered, "We just need a piece of string. This meal is so perfect we're floating away."

The waiter made a compliant nod and disappeared.

He returned a few minutes later with what looked like a delicate pasta dish.

It was a plate of string.

He quietly placed it between us and asked, "Is there anything else I can do for you at this moment?"

No, there was nothing else he could do. He had used his creativity to "wow" us - but in an elegant and subtle way. Simply stellar.

v. Flintstoning, to Flintstone

The Flintmobile was cartoon caveman Fred Flintstone's snazzy set of wheels.

In fact, that was ALL it was - a set of wheels. It had no engine.

The car was "Fred-powered."

Fred would have to put his feet to the earth and run like mad to pick up speed... and then he could lift his legs and zoom along!

In life, to get where we want to be going, we have to "Flintstone."

YOUR vehicle is "you-powered."

All projects, ideas, dreams - require effort to "get going." Even a retreat, adventure, and fun require an investment of planning, effort and energy.

Some goals require quite the running start - and others may require a quick push. A caring nudge from a friend or a serendipitous sign that says "GO!"

Wishing you green lights, encouraging signs, and the inspiration to "Flintstone" your way to where you really want to be - on the kind of "you-powered" journey you really want to be on.

And remember, in the inspiring words of Fred Flintsone: "Yabba-dabba DO!"

Creativi-tea with Sir Ken Robinson

I had the rare and wonderful opportunity
to have "breakfast creativi-tea" with Sir Ken Robinson while in New York.
He was to keynote to educators at the NYSCATE conference that morning, but he had just enough time to have breakfast with other speakers and conference organizers.
People were getting their copy of Sir Ken's inspiring book,
"The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything," autographed.

His book is "my cup of tea."

It shines the light on those who have "followed their North Stars"
- many of those who had been given an early diagnosis of being "at-risk," "in trouble," or "lost."
Creative thinking helped each of these famous - and everyday
people - overcome obstacles to discover their Element.

I waited until the breakfast was almost over and asked Sir Ken to sign my own copy of his book.

I then sprung another request on him.

"Could you please draw me a teacup?"

I handed him a piece of my favorite Italian Fabriano paper and a pen. Much to my delight, he picked up the paper and dashed out a bold little cup of tea. I smiled.

Most adults freeze when I ask them to draw for me.

Sir Ken Robinson did not disappoint.
True to the spirit of his work, he was fearless and creative!

After he was finished, I added: "Please - sign it." And he did.

I shared with him that this was to be a collaboration.
I've been doing this for years with those I have met along the journey - especially those who say they CAN'T draw. With a gentle invitation to draw a teacup, (my "informal research" in the past 25 years has proven that EVERYONE can create a teacup - or something that is teacup-ish!)
everyone has been able to "make their mark."

I took the pen, opened my watercolors and set to work. I drew around Sir Ken's teacup creating a gallery - and a cast of admirers. A final splash of color and our collaboration was complete.

Voila!


"The Element Gallery" By Sir Ken Robinson & Peter H. Reynolds, 2010

Sparks In the Universe

Have you ever had that brilliant idea - that connection - the idea - the spark that happens in the shower or while driving - or in any other circumstance without access to recording your idea? You rush to find a pen, a pencil, a way to jot it down... but the whole process occupies the very spot that your spark sat waiting to be preserved. And then... NOTHING. Without a trace. I imagine that these sparks float skyward... out of reach... and find a place in the heavens. Billions and billions of sparks. Glowing with energy and light. Out of reach. They sparkle there in the heavens to inspire... to inspire us to keep going - to give rise to new ideas. New sparks.