Ongoing
Public Art Program
Gabrielle Healy Carroll Storytime Program
Monthly Film Schedule
Upcoming Classes
For Professionals
For some of our events, educational programming, and exhibitions we link to external Web sites for our visitors to explore. The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art is not responsible for the content of the Web sites we link to. Links will open in a new window.
Click here to download our Summer 2009 Program Calendar. (PDF)
Upcoming Events
The following programs do not require registration unless otherwise specified.
Send Best Wishes to Eric Carle!
May 8 - August 1, 2009
The Carle invites friends, families, and schools throughout the country and abroad to send best wishes to Eric Carle in celebration of his 80th birthday!
How it works:
• Click here to download the Birthday Wish template
• Write or draw your birthday message within the circle
• Cut out the circle
• Mail to the Carle:
Birthday wishes
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art
125 West Bay Road
Amherst, MA 01002
All circles should be received by June 1, 2009 in order to decorate giant cake cut-outs throughout our Great Hall from June 13th to August 30th. Birthday wishes will not be returned.
In The Art Studio
Celebrating Collage
June 13 - July 21, 2009
Free with Museum Admission
Join in celebrating Eric Carle's 80th birthday and The Very Hungry Caterpillar's 40th anniversary by creating a tissue paper collage.
In The Reading Library
Simmons College at The Carle
Information Session
July 8, 2009
1:00 - 3:00 pm
Simmons College and The Carle are delighted to announce the expansion of our partnership offering graduate programs in children's literature at The Carle to include: the continuation of the MFA in Writing for Children program; a new MA in Children's Literature; and a new joint degree combining the MFA/MA degree programs. Attend an informational session at the Museum to learn about the programs, how to apply, and meet representatives from Simmons and the Museum.
For more information click here or contact Megan Lambert, Instructor of Children's Literature Programs at (413) 658-1123 or email meganl@carlemuseum.org.
To visit the Simmons College Web site about the program, click here.
Professional Development Workshop
Eric Carle Tissue Paper Workshop
July 11, 2009
9:00 am - 1:00 pm
$50 (Members $45)
4 PDPs. Explore Carle's paper-painting techniques and how they can be adapted for home or the classroom while creating unique collage papers of one's own. Instructor: Meghan Burch
Registration is required. Please click here for information on how to register by Mail, Phone, or Fax.
In The Auditorium
Castle Hill Theatre Presents Just So Stories
July 11, 2009
11:00 am and 2:00 pm
Castle Hill Theatre Company returns to The Carle with its latest production, Just So Stories. This inventive and imaginative production taken from three of Rudyard Kipling's classic tales are fanciful explanations of why the world is the way it is. Full of color and humor, it’s the perfect show for theater-goers of all ages.
$8.50 (Members $7.50) Tickets may be purchased in Advance at the Museum Admission desk or by calling (413) 658-1126. Ticket price does not include Museum Admission.
In The Art Studio
Special Sundays
July 12, 2009
1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Free with Museum Admission
Join us one Sunday of each month for an additional art activity in the back of the Art Studio. Always a surprise and sometimes messy, so bring a smock!
In The Auditorium
Castle Hill Theatre Presents Just So Stories
July 12, 2009
2:00 pm
Castle Hill Theatre Company returns to The Carle with its latest production, Just So Stories. This inventive and imaginative production taken from three of Rudyard Kipling's classic tales are fanciful explanations of why the world is the way it is. Full of color and humor, it’s the perfect show for theater-goers of all ages.
$8.50 (Members $7.50) Tickets may be purchased in Advance at the Museum Admission desk or by calling (413) 658-1126. Ticket price does not include Museum Admission.
In The Art Studio
Inspired by Illustration (Session II)
July 14, 2009
9:00 am - 11:00 am
$90 (Members $80)
July 14 - 17
Ages 5-7 (Class size 4-8 children)
Join in the fun as we use original art in the galleries and some of our favorite picture books to inspire our own creativity. These sessions will include explorations of two and three-dimensional work, drawing, painting, and more, so dress for some mess.
Instructor: Meghan Burch
Registration is required. Please click here for information on how to register by Mail, Phone, or Fax.
Members Only Event
Drawings from the Heart: Tomie dePaola Turns 75
Exhibition Opening Reception
July 18, 2009
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Join us for an intimate Members' evening to celebrate the opening of our newest exhibition Drawings from the Heart: Tomie dePaola Turns 75. The event includes complimentary appetizers and drink ticket, a conversation between Tomie dePaola and guest curator Barbara Elleman, and the chance to win exhibition-related items in our free drawing. Members RSVP to Jennifer Darling at (413) 658-1104 or membership@ carlemuseum.org.
Support for this exhibition is courtesy of Penguin Young Readers Group, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
In The Auditorium
Making the Invisible Visible:
From Ideas to Illustration
with Tomie dePaola
July 19, 2009
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Free with Museum Admission
Join Tomie dePaola as he takes us through the development of a picture book including the stories behind an idea and the creation of the art that illustrates it. Book signing to follow
Special Event
Private Tour with Tomie dePaola:
In Person and On the Wall
July 19, 2009
4:30 pm - 6:00 pm
$95 (Members $85)
A program to benefit the Carle! Tomie dePaola will lead a small group on a tour of the exhibition, Drawings From the Heart: Tomie dePaola Turns 75, to be followed by a wine and cheese reception. Only a limited number of tickets will be sold for this special event.
Tickets may be purchased in advance at the Museum Admissions Desk or by calling 413.658.1126.
In The Art Studio
Pigment, Patterns, and Paint
July 22 - September 1, 2009
Be inspired by dePaola’s vibrant colors and patterns or by your own artistic inclinations. Use brushes, tempera paint, and paper to create your own masterpiece.
Professional Development Workshop
Using Picture Books with Older Students
July 22, 2009
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
$40 (Members $35)
3 PDPs. From Math to Language Arts and Social Studies picture books can be used to help differentiate instruction and make learning more fun and interactive. This workshop will provide strategies for integrating picture books in upper elementary curricula. Explore using picture books to introduce new subject matter, simplify literary elements, and help students with their writing process. Instructor: Susan Wells
Registration is required. Please click here for information on how to register by Mail, Phone, or Fax.
In The Auditorium
Found Sounds
July 25, 2009
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Free with Museum Admission
Join ambassador of rhythm, Ellen Clegg as she brings the rhythm in all of us alive. Born with music in her blood, Ellen unites her passion, skills, and training as a percussionist, facilitator, educator, and performer to create a celebratory environment using the universal language of rhythm and drumming. Fun for all ages!
In The Art Studio
Altered Board Books
July 26, 2009
10:00 am - 1:00 pm
$40 (Members $35)
Ages 16 and up
Wondering what to do with all those well-loved board books? We’ll bring them to new artistic life as we cover, paint, embellish, and re-purpose them into unique, one-of-a kind personal creations. All materials will be provided, but please bring your own photos, writing or other personal ephemera you might want to include.
Instructor: Diana MacKenzie
Registration is required. Please click here for information on how to register by Mail, Phone, or Fax.
In The Art Studio
Drawing from Art and Nature (Session I)
July 27, 2009
9:00 am - 10:30 am
$110 (Members $100)
July 27 - 30
Ages 3-4 with a caregiver (Class size 4-5 children)
Drawing inspiration from the Museum’s galleries and beautiful apple orchard, together we‘ll experiment with painting, printmaking, and clay.
Instructor: Diana MacKenzie
Registration is required. Please click here for information on how to register by Mail, Phone, or Fax.
Professional Development Workshop
Picturing Stories
July 30, 2009
1:00 - 5:00 pm
$50 (Members $45)
4 PDPs. This workshop centers on the book of award-winning illustrator, Molly Bang, Picture, This: How Pictures Work. Participants will be introduced to Bang’s core visual literacy principles, use The Carle’s exhibitions to explore approaches to “reading pictures”, and apply this information to create a visual story using cut-paper collage. Instructor: Rosemary Agoglia
Registration is required. Please click here for information on how to register by Mail, Phone, or Fax.
In The Reading Library
Simmons College at The Carle
Information Session
July 31, 2009
3:30 - 5:30 pm
Simmons College and The Carle are delighted to announce the expansion of our partnership offering graduate programs in children's literature at The Carle to include: the continuation of the MFA in Writing for Children program; a new MA in Children's Literature; and a new joint degree combining the MFA/MA degree programs. Attend an informational session at the Museum to learn about the programs, how to apply, and meet representatives from Simmons and the Museum.
For more information click here or contact Megan Lambert, Instructor of Children's Literature Programs at (413) 658-1123 or email meganl@carlemuseum.org.
To visit the Simmons College Web site about the program, click here.
Professional Development Workshop
The Whole Book Approach
July 31, 2009
10:00 am - 2:00 pm
$50 (Members $45)
4 PDPs. Discover the difference between reading with children and reading to children. This session will begin with an observation of a Whole Book Approach storytime at The Carle. Participants will then discuss their observations and will learn how to evaluate the picture book as an art form and to use this critical engagement as a platform for leading interactive picture book reading experiences with their students. Instructor: Megan Lambert
Registration is required. Please click here for information on how to register by Mail, Phone, or Fax.
In The Auditorium
Putumayo Kids* Picnic Playground Tour
Featuring Jay Mankita
August 1, 2009
1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Free with Museum Admission
Join in the fun as Putumayo Kids presents musical treats from around the world. Guitarist, singer, and songwriter, Jay Mankita, has presented thousands of concerts throughout the Northeastern United States and drives a van that runs on recycled vegetable oil.
*A division of Putumayo World Music, Putumayo Kids is committed to introducing children to other cultures through great music from around the world. For more information, visit www.putumayokids.com.
In The Art Studio
Drawing from Art and Nature (Session II)
August 3, 2009
9:00 am - 11:00 am
$90 (Members $80)
Aug 3 - 6
Ages 5-7 (Class size 4-8 children)
Drawing inspiration from the Museum’s galleries and beautiful apple orchard, together we‘ll experiment with painting, printmaking, and clay.
Instructor: Diana MacKenzie
Registration is required. Please click here for information on how to register by Mail, Phone, or Fax.
Professional Development Workshop
A Book in Hand: Leading Multiple Copy Storytimes with Infants, Toddlers, and Preschoolers
August 7, 2009
1:00 - 4:00 pm
$40 (Members $35)
3 PDPs. Explore how using multiple copies of a single picture book during storytimes and/or classroom circle-times can benefit babies, toddlers, preschoolers, and adults alike. Through this innovative approach to looking, listening, learning, and communicating, connections will be made between visual and verbal literacy while examining the picture book as a visual art form and a physical object. Instructor: Megan Lambert
Registration is required. Please click here for information on how to register by Mail, Phone, or Fax.
In The Reading Library
Meet Melanie Hope Greenberg
August 8, 2009
2:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Free with Museum Admission
Melanie Hope Greenberg, 32-year Brooklyn Heights resident and longtime author/illustrator of children’s books gets inspiration for her books from the neighborhood around her. Join her as she reads from her books and shares the stories behind her stories.
In The Art Studio
Drawing Picture Stories
August 11, 2009
9:00 am - 11:00 am
$90 (Members $80)
August 11 - 14
Ages 8-11 (Class size 6-10)
Join author/illustrator, David Costello as he explores how to tell a story with pictures. Learn how picture book and comic artists illustrate emotions and the passage of time. Experiment with some basic drawing skills through individual and collaborative work, and have fun!
Instructor: Author/ Illustrator David Costello
Professional Development Workshop
Multi-lingual Approach to Picture Books
August 14, 2009
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
$40 (Members $35)
3 PDPs. The addition of any language to storytime helps to engage, intrigue, and involve young audiences. Eric Carle's picture books, with their diverse cast of characters and repetitive narration, encourage interaction and lend themselves particularly well to a dynamic storytime using American Sign Language, Spanish, and many other languages. This workshop will provide an introduction to content-based ASL and explore the necessary criteria for adapting pictures books to a multi-lingual storytime. Instructor: Susan Wells
Registration is required. Please click here for information on how to register by Mail, Phone, or Fax.
Professional Development Workshop
A Space to Create
August 15, 2009
9:00 am - 1:00 pm
$50 (Members $45)
4 PDPs. Support children’s development and creativity through the creation of a mini studio in your home or classroom. This workshop, designed for teachers and parents of toddlers through elementary-aged students, explores the components of a vibrant art space, offers tips and resources for creating one, and explores the underlying principles and philosophies that guide the Museum’s Art Studio program. Since no trip to the Art Studio would be complete without time to make art, we’ll also experiment with materials from our list of favorites. Instructor: Meghan Burch
Registration is required. Please click here for information on how to register by Mail, Phone, or Fax.
In The Auditorium
Making the Invisible Visible:
From Ideas to Illustration
with Tomie dePaola
August 15, 2009
1:00 pm
Free with Museum Admission
Join Tomie dePaola as he takes us through the development of a picture book including the stories behind an idea and the creation of the art that illustrates it. Book signing to follow
In The Art Studio
Special Sundays
August 16, 2009
1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Free with Museum Admission
Join us one Sunday of each month for an additional art activity in the back of the Art Studio. Always a surprise and sometimes messy, so bring a smock!
In The Reading Library
Meet Mother Goose
August 22, 2009
12:30 pm and 3:00 pm
Free with Museum Admission
Join Mother Goose, beloved author of nursery rhymes, as she recites rhymes, sings songs, plays games, and tells a story. Marcia Estabrook, assuming the personality of Elizabeth Vertigoose, reputed by at least one source to be the “real” Mother Goose, educates and entertains through dynamic and spontaneous interaction with her audience.
Photo by Motoko Inoue
At The Museum
Meet Eric Carle
August 23, 2009
Free with Museum Admission
A limited number of tickets will be distributed the day of the event. No tickets are available in advance.
Museum Members may enter from 11:00 to 11:45 am. General Public and Museum Members arriving after 11:45 am will be allowed entry at 12:00 pm on a space available basis.
Due to limited quantity and expected demand for bookplates, bookplates will be distributed only after all event tickets have been handed out. Receive a specially-designed Eric Carle bookplate with each EC hardcover book purchased in the Museum Shop on the day of the event only (while supplies last).
Signing guidelines:
Limit 1 book from home and 2 books from the Museum Shop* per ticketholder
No personalization
Eric will be signing books only
No flash photography allowed
We thank you in advance for your cooperation and look forward to seeing you at The Carle!
Click here to view our FAQ’s about the Meet Eric Carle event.
Get in early! Become a Member and enter at 11:00 am! Click here for more information. Memberships must be purchased no later than 3:30 pm on Friday, August 21st to gain entry at 11:00 am for this event.
* Books from the Museum Shop may be purchased the week in advance (8/16-8/22), but a receipt must be presented for the signing.
In The Art Studio
Mapping Imaginary Worlds
September 2 - October 13, 2009
Using the Hundred Acre Wood as inspiration, transform a map into your own enchanted place.
At The Museum
Annual Educators’ Open House
with Tomie dePaola
October 15, 2009
4:30 - 6:30 pm
Free – All educators welcome!
Join your colleagues at the Museum for a special presentation by Tomie dePaola followed by a book signing. Tour the dePaola exhibition, gather information on booking guided tours, explore resources on ways to enhance critical and creative thinking, and learn what’s happening at the Museum this Fall. Free materials for libraries and classrooms. Light refreshments will be served.
Space is limited. Reservations are required (413.658.1126)
In The Auditorium
Meet Tomie dePaola
October 17, 2009
1:00 pm
Free with Museum Admission
Hear from one of the most popular creators of children’s books as Tomie talks about his process and tells some of the stories behind his books. Known for his special way with color, line, detail, and design, he has been honing his skills since that day in kindergarten when he told his art teacher, “Real artists don’t copy!”
At The Museum
Pancakes for Breakfast
with Tomie dePaola
October 18, 2009
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Adults $10 (Members $6), Children $5 (Members $3), Family of Four $25 (Members $15)
An event to benefit the Carle!
First Seating - 9:00 am
Second Seating – 10:15 am
Not only can Tomie write a book about pancakes, he can flip them too! Enjoy pancakes in the Café, a short dePaola film in the Auditorium, art-making in the Studio, and a storytime led by Tomie.
Book signing to follow
Tickets may be purchased in advance at the Museum Admissions Desk or by calling 413.658.1126.