Llamas in the Library and Other Tales

 

This week, I took on a new challenge: writing my first picture book!   I explored the writing and design process for its use in library programming for children and youth.   Writing and designing picture books is an opportunity for young people to meaningfully tell their stories (Mehta, 2018).  Creating the book was surprisingly straightforward, today’s digital resources make it so accessible (Albanese & Milliot, 2024).  My  story follows children on a playful journey through a library, discovering friendly animals  engaging in a range of library activities and introducing young readers to diverse public library services and spaces.    I used the Canva program, customising a template using the click-and-drag method to add shapes, images, and text elements. Professionally illustrating a picture book is expensive and time-consuming (Australian Society of Authors, n.d.) but Canva has many clipart options, so I used these to create illus...