Journal Sparks! Fire Up Your Creativity with Spontaneous Art, Wild Writing, and Inventive Thinking
By Emily K. Neuburger
Using words, drawing, collage, and observation-based list-making, Journal Sparks highlights the many paths into journaling.
With 60 interactive writing prompts and art how-tos, you’ll expand your imagination and spark your creativity.
Every spread invites a new approach to filling a page, from making a visual map of a day-in-my-life to turning random splotches into quirky characters for a playful story.
It’s the perfect companion to all those blank books and an ideal launch pad to explore creative self-expression and develop an imaginative voice.
Recommended for children beginning ~8-10 years old to do on their own, but truly suited for any child older than this right through to adults of all ages.
Softcover, 164 pages.
Storey Publishing, 2017.
Nest Notes from Lisa: Some of the activities are also well-suited to doing together, with a parent and child, or for children to do together. We found a few games and activities to do together as fun family time and wind-down in the evenings before bedtime when my children were just 5 and 7 years old. Others I'm looking forward to doing alone or with them as they get older. It definitely sparks some good creativity and joy and exploration and enthusiasm in us when we pick up this book. The printing by Storey was so well done as well, with respect to the paper and inks. It's just a lovely treasure trove that will continue to spark for years in our home. The notion of journalling as an activity that can be done in more ways than one, not just with a pencil and paper, but in various art forms, opens up our minds to why we journal, and to the activity of exploration and the joy and discovery always waiting for us.
Reviews:
“A visually adorable and joyful book full of inspiring and creative ideas for seeing, gathering, and experimenting. You will stay motivated to create for a long time!”
(Jennifer Orkin Lewis, artist and illustrator at augustwren.com)
“A great roadmap for getting started with journaling. These thoughtful writing prompts and playful art activities will inspire and engage!”
(Susan Schwake, best-selling author of Art Lab for Kids series)
“My family’s favorite kind of any-age book. These friendly, fabulous, and imaginative prompts are great for journaling but they’re also approachably small, stand-alone creative projects. You’ll soon be busy charting your world of favorite things and places and words and dreams.”
(Catherine Newman, author of Waiting for Birdy and Catastrophic Happiness)
“I dare you to make it halfway through this book without running to grab your journal and a pencil! This trove of inspiring and practical ideas encourages us to push our creative boundaries and revel in the play between words and pictures.”
(Alexandra Kennedy, executive director of the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art)
“Transcendent! At a time when all of us — children and adults — are deluged with pixels and information, Emily Neuburger inspires us to use a journal to notice, feel, connect, and reflect.”
(Sam Intrator, professor of education and child study at Smith College)