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A Journey into our imagination with Morris Lessmore

September 2020

The last online library sessions of the term this week, and I wanted to leave my students thinking about books, reading and the power of a good story.

Pratham's One day, one story, took care of the sessions for my grades 2-6. But for my secondary students, I needed something that would touch them, leaving them yearning for books...something they could turn to during the holidays.

I chose to do a Guided Drawing session with them, using "THE FANTASTIC FLYING BOOKS OF MR. MORRIS LESSMORE" by W.E.Joyce.

The children were free to switch their cameras off as they chose a comfortable position to relax, close their eye and just soak in the passage that I was reading. There was to be no questions, no sounds at all. They were to only focus on the imagery in the passage.

When they opened their eyes, I asked them to put down on paper, the images that came to their mind as they listened to the passage. The quite continued. There were a few who muttered doubts, but they were quickly shushed in order to keep the calm and concentration of their classmates.

Each child worked on their images. There is no right or wrong. Whatever comes to mind or heart, had to be put down on paper.

At the end of the session, they expressed how wonderful they felt after this almost meditative exercise.

As they explained their sketches, it was clear to see, how each ones ideas were so different, yet easy to relate to given the passage read. Some just saw the storm from the start of the passage, one saw the storm as a dragon, others saw just books, some saw flying books, others the building housing the books, and may more.

I love how a good book lends itself to many beautiful interpretations.