Drawn Together
Written by: Minh Lê
Illustrated by: Dan Santat
Pages: 40 pages – ages 5+
Published by: Disney Hyperion on June 5, 2018
Genre: Realistic
Theme/Topic: Drawing, Family
Synopsis from Publisher – “When a young boy visits his grandfather, their lack of a common language leads to confusion, frustration, and silence. But as they sit down to draw together, something magical happens—with a shared love of art and storytelling, the two form a bond that goes beyond words. With spare, direct text by Minh Lê and luminous illustrations by Caldecott Medalist Dan Santat, this stirring picturebook about reaching across barriers will be cherished for years to come.”
Drawn Together – Our Review
What I Thought- This is such a glorious heartfelt book – it really shows how love doesn’t need words to be shown. I absolutely loved that the book showed how the two were trying to communicate but just couldn’t understand the other – for example, they both appear to be talking about the TV channel at the same time, even though they cannot understand the other’s words. That really meant a lot to me while reading, because it showed that they both wanted to show appreciation and affection for the other, but just didn’t think it was possible. Santat’s illustrations dominate the story, with bright bold colors and a wonderful blend of comic and realistic illustration.
Lê’s use of sparse text really drives the story’s theme home. Lê’s word selection is masterful, conveying such a powerful story with limited text. This book is a work of art, a glorious blend of illustration and text. I was extremely happy to have had the chance to read this.
Activities and Resources- Whether you can speak to someone or not, draw a picture with them! You never know what you may learn about each other! Especially if you draw a picture with someone who you wouldn’t think to do so before with.
For a fun family activity, you can create an original comic-strip with your kid! Mykidsadventures.com has a wonderful guide HERE!