Art mimics life in our ' Fiction in the Forest' book club as children explore a classic coming of age tale ‘Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great’ from within our fantastical 100-year-old forest, surrounded by the sights and sounds of nature.  In this session,  children dive into the world of Sheila Tubman, a quirky 10-year-old protagonist who is quick tongued and slow to embrace new opportunities. Fearful of everything from spiders to water, it is any wonder how she will make it out of her family trip to the countryside alive! 

This book club is grounded in an arts-based approach to literature/literacy and will have children reading more deeply as they participate in literature circles, discuss and analyze the text, paint, draw, dramatize, and create.  Each session will include time to read-aloud, guided discussions, arts-based activities, literacy games and time for quiet contemplation in our Reader's Response journals where children retell, relate and reflect on the day's reading, ask and answer meaningful questions, and make  important connections. Children will stretch their imagination, while at the same time receiving the tools and guidance needed to develop and hone reading comprehension skills.  Art, and drama are vessels for expression and tools for communication in this literacy program.  Each child will be provided with their own copy of “Otherwise Known as Sheila the Great.”