Ada & Lily
A BOOK ABOUT SISTERS
Welcome to the STEMHAX Book Spotlight. Today we are exploring Ada & Lily written and illustrated by Emily Wetterich and Nick Brummer. This book would be an excellent addition to any early childhood classroom or homeschool library.
Kids enjoy reading the same book over and over again, so having a physical copy on hand is a great idea. This version can be purchased on Amazon.
Overview
Ada & Lily is a sweet book about siblings. This is a story for sisters, big, middle, and little. All the artwork was hand-drawn by the author. The book shows what it can be like when a new little sister comes along. “First there was Ada all alone. Then suddenly baby Lily came home.” The book is told in rhyme and the pace draws children into the story. At the end the story the sisters learn of a big a surprise.
How fun would it be to read this book to a child when expecting a new baby?
Ada & Lily – Read Aloud
The STEMHAX read aloud on YouTube is perfect for children who want to follow along with the book.
Exploring Ada & Lily with Young Learners
First, start with a book cover inspection. Show children the cover of the book and ask, “what do you think this book is about?” Follow this with some open-ended questions to get their minds warmed up.
- What do you think about when you hear the word sibling?
- What are some words that describe a sister?
- What are some things sisters might do together?
After reading the book for the first time, ask more open-ended or fact checking questions. Remember there are no wrong answers. Some questions might include:
- Why did the author name the book Ada & Lily?
- How did Ada feel when Lily came home?
- What are some things Ada and Lily like to do together?
- Why do sisters sometimes not get along?
- How does it feel to share?
- Why do you think the author says they are “built-in best friends?”
- How did Ada and Lily feel when “number three joined the two?”
Vocabulary
- suddenly – Quickly and unexpectedly.
- forever – Lasting or permanent.
- adventure – An exciting experience or activity.
- special – Much better than what is usual.
- imagine – To dream up an image in your mind.
Extend the Lesson
The following resources are a fun way to extend the reading of Ada & Lily. Here are some free hands-on activity ideas. Here are a few to get you started.
Ada & Lily Coloring Page – FREE Download
Free coloring page with the original art from Ada & Lily. Simply visit the STEMHAX TPT Store and download for free.
Carnival DIY Mask – Teach the Teacher
The following video walks you through how to make three simple carnival masks. The second mask in the video uses hand tracing. If you use green cardstock with some jewels it would mimic the illustration in the book that Ada was wearing while her and Lily were adventuring. Supplies are simple, too; Cardstock, different colored construction paper, small wood stick, scissors, pencil, Elmer’s glue and different colored glitter.
HINT: For less mess you can try these water based Glitter Markers from Amazon.
How to Draw a Person
Art Hub for Kids is kid friendly and your students will love this how to draw lesson. You will need to pause the video periodically to allow students catch up. Let them know this ahead of time so there is minimal frustration. This video could allow the student to draw their own sibling.
FREE Read Aloud Book Report
Need accountability in a listening or iPad center? Check out this FREE Book Report available in my TPT Store for download.
Q&A with Emily Wetterich
During the collaboration process I was able to interview Emily. Here is a glimpse of Emily’s evolution into the art of picture books.
STEMHAX: Emily can you tell me a little about your background?
EMILY: My name is Emily and I’m a mom of three lovely girls. I’ve illustrated over ten children’s books and written one so far with many more to come. Along with creating stories and drawing, I love board games and hope to publish my own games someday. My family and I also love martial arts! We even have our own home dojo because we love it so much!
STEMHAX: How did you come up with the Ada & Lily book idea?
EMILY: Ever since having my first daughter the inspiration has been non-stop! Then I had my second daughter and they are so funny and adorable together that this book just had to exist. While I worked up the courage to make it, I created a shorter, hand-crafted, test version of the book, but it was about my niece and nephew. When I realized I was actually okay at writing I decided to rewrite and re-illustrate the book for my own kids and make it long enough and nice enough to officially publish. I also wanted to get my husband, Nick, involved because, well, they’re his kids and he is an artist, too. He did the color and text design for Ada & Lily.
STEMHAX: Creating successful picture books for children is not an easy task. What inspired you to become a children’s author?
EMILY: Before having kids I had never really considered children’s books as an art form I was interested in. I knew I wanted to tell stories, but I never felt skilled enough to write a novel. I had tried out many other forms of illustration and sequential art, including animation, storyboarding, comic books and graphic novels, but none of them kept my interest. Watching my kids grow up and starting a children’s book collection for them was like a lightbulb moment for me. Of course I wanted to document all the hilarious things they do, of course I wanted to help them enjoy learning through awesome pictures and stories, of course I wanted to make them laugh and recognize and connect with the characters on the page. I finally felt like my art had some real purpose AND I got to get printed copies to put on a bookshelf which I think is SO COOL.
STEMHAX: Will there be more books in the future?
EMILY: Absolutely! I already have several mostly written stories and several more ideas to explore after that. All I need is about 10 more hours in every day to get it all done!
STEMHAX: Do you have a memorable book from your childhood?
EMILY: Some of the books I have the most memories reading were “Where’s the Fish?” by Taro Gomi, “I Love to Eat Bugs” by John Strejan, and anything by Sandra Boynton. Berenstain Bears books, I SPY books, and the Harry Potter series were also favorites of mine.
STEMHAX: Where can people find you? (website, YouTube, etc.)
EMILY: At the ARTSTATION.
STEMHAX: Is there anything else you would like to add?
EMILY: I had no idea this would be the path I would take as an artist, but I am so happy that I ended up here. Making children’s books has been such a fun and rewarding career. The thought that my books are or will be on kid’s bookshelves all over the country and that those same books might play an important role in a kid’s life is just incredibly cool. I can’t believe how lucky I am to be able to create for a living and to be with someone who does the same! I am so excited to share all of the things I make with kids and their parents and teach everything I’ve learned to those who want to take a similar path in life. Thank you so much for reading and keep an eye out for a lot more from me!
Other Books Emily Has Illustrated
Here are a few of the many books Emily has illustrated. Enjoy!
Ada & Lily Coloring and Drawing Book
Super Hero Silent e: The Long and Short of a Word
Thank you!
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