by Denise Gary
The Kids Need to Read 2015 wall calendar is presented by
Life Alert Emergency Response, Inc.
As we get ready to introduce the Kids Need to Read 2015 wall calendar at Phoenix Comicon, we proudly present the cover art for your enjoyment. Every piece of art we received from each of our twelve calendar artists was inspiring, making the effort to choose just one for the cover quite a challenge. Each artist was instructed to incorporate a book or books into their illustration to highlight our mission. What we received was beautifully imaginative art as unique as each artist’s style and perception.
The Place that Reading Takes Me, by Jackie Morris, author and illustrator of The Snow Leopard; Tell Me a Dragon; The Ice Bear; The Cat and the Fiddle; I Am Cat; and East of the Sun, West of the Moon, was chosen to represent the spectacular artistry contained within the Kids Need to Read calendar. Jackie’s watercolors are always stunning! This particular piece is a statement on a very serious issue that afflicts every nation—illiteracy. Jackie sums the painting up best:
The monkey is from The Wizard of Oz, the cats are from Silverstorm Bengals, and the tent in the background comes from a David Almond book, is it Secret Heart? The umbrella is something I want. The keys are for all the things learning to read can unlock. This is the elephant in the room, in the modern world. Illiteracy. Those that can read don’t talk about it. Those that can’t have amazing coping skills, and, guess what, they don’t talk about it. So, let’s talk about it.
Jackie, who is a member of the Kids Need to Read Advisory Council, was instrumental in getting Kids Need to Read’s illustrated calendar project off the ground in 2012 and this is her fourth contribution. It was selected for how well it illustrated the Kids Need to Read tagline, “Inspiring Imagination,” and for the emphasis it places on the power of literacy. Jackie also allows Kids Need to Read to offer fine art prints of her calendar contributions for donations to the organization—a rare privilege for her highly admired art.
The remaining eleven calendar illustrations can be seen on our 2015 calendar web page. The pieces are all unique and equally inspiring. We thank all of the Kids Need to Read calendar artists for their dedication to the cause of childhood literacy, and for honoring our foundation with their valuable time and talent:
Mark Wayne Adams
Suzy Almblade
Marisa Grieco
Travis Hanson
Jason Horn
Jason T. Kruse
Jackie Morris
Jeremy Brundage Owen
Tony Parker
Steven Riley
Sarrah Wilkinson
Mike Woodcock
View individual calendar pages in the 2015 Calendar Photo Gallery.
We are immensely grateful to our calendar sponsor, Life Alert Emergency Response, whose generosity over the past five years has ensured that 100% of the funds generated by calendar sales will be used to further our mission. As always, our deep appreciation is extended to Dawn Russo for her continuing support of the calendar project throughout the years.
In addition to the calendar, Kids Need to Read produces fine art prints from the artists’ contributions. The 2015 calendar will be introduced at the KNTR Phoenix Comicon booth 459, June 5–8, 2014, and will be accompanied by select fine art prints. Calendar contributor Steven Riley will be conducting the Kids Need to Read “Build-a-Book” project in the KNTR booth and will be available to sign calendars throughout the convention. Other calendar contributors who will be at the convention are Suzy Almblade, Travis Hanson, Jeremy Brundage Owen, Tony Parker, and Sarrah Wilkinson. So, come enjoy Phoenix Comicon, make a donation for a 2015 calendar, and get them signed by these fine artists. They are perfect for libraries and classrooms—shining a bright light on literacy all year long!
The Kids Need to Read 2015 calendars, as well as a selection of fine art prints, will be available for purchase in the Kids Need to Read eBay store after we return from Phoenix Comicon in mid-June.
Kids Need to Read 2015 Calendar Web Page
Related Blog: Life Alert Sponsors KNTR 2015 Calendar
