I'm not by nature an early morning person, though I have gotten better at it through the years when forced into the situation. A couple of books show a good approach to mornings for those of us non-morning people--or even those who are.
S.D. Nelson's latest book, Greet the Dawn, published this year by the SD Historical Society Press, is already winning awards, and I predict it will earn more in the coming year.
I was fortunate to attend his session at the SD Festival of the Book in Sioux Falls this fall. Primarily an artist, Nelson has illustrated many picture books, and has authored and illustrated others. He uses a variety of techniques to achieve his art's end result, including crinkling Saran wrap into wet acrylic wash to achieve a batik-like look.
He lives in Flagstaff, AZ, and is a member of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe, giving him his Lakota world view. He was raised on the Standing Rock Reservation in South Dakota. A common theme in his work is the connectedness of all things and the human connection with animals as equals.
His art "injects the contemporary world into the ancient world." Illustrations in Greet the Dawn are a visual delight--almost an "I Spy" game of traditional symbols and modern life images. See samples here.
He told us that the traditional spiral symbol is a shape that brings balance. For him, the petroglyph-like handprints symbolize the contact a person has to a place. The circle of life shows "there's room for everybody in the world today."
Hear him tell it himself in this 1 minute interview:
Despite the title, the picture book takes readers through an entire day, showing that if we greet the dawn with a smile, we will be in harmony until we go to sleep at night.
Another favorite "wake up early" book is The Way to Start a Day by Byrd Baylor, illustrated by Peter Parnall. This book won a Caldecott Honor in 1979. In the text, Baylor shows readers that people around the world have special ways of starting the day. As in Nelson's book, most cultures greet the dawn by appreciating the natural world and its rhythms.
Here's a snippet:
Baylor encourages us to make our own morning songs to welcome the sun. And if we think about the miracle of the universe and our place in it, the songs won't be moans about getting out of bed!
Good morning! How do you start your day?
I love to look outside first thing in the morning, too, and wonder what others are up to--next door, around the U.S. and the world. It's a time of wonder--what will the day hold, how can I make it a good one for others, what beauty will I see? Byrd Baylor is an amazing author for waking us up to many things. I look forward to looking at SD Nelson's books now, too.
ReplyDeleteHi Jane,
ReplyDeleteI am a morning person. And the first thing when I get up is to open the curtain to see the color of the sky. Luckily my bed faces to the east window. When I see a beautiful sunrise, I feel very lucky and imagine something good will happen.
Lynette & beagleAnnie, I love your positive outlook! Yes, every day holds wonders, if we only have eyes to see. Something good WILL happen. :) Thanks for stopping by.
ReplyDeleteI wait until I'm awake to do much of anything! Then it's one thing to the next ;) But oh so groggy making kids' lunches!
ReplyDeleteHi, Jennifer, thanks for stopping by. Make a morning song and see what happens! :)
ReplyDelete