Author Description

Join the Rainbow Puppets as they discover the joy of reading that can be had every you open a book. We take a journey in reading where we meet a pair of pirates and then dive into the sea to meet many amazing creatures including sea stars, eels, and neon-colored fish. The Wright Brother share the secret of their success: they read and studied the work of others before creating their historic airplane. Mary Peake teaches newly-freed slaves to read under the Emancipation Oak as historic figures like Abraham Lincoln and Eleanor Roosevelt look on. We even visit Mother Goose and her friends before drifting off to sleep -- knowing that we can have our dreams come true when we take the time to read."Open a Book" was designed to be shared with Pre-k through First Grade children. It is written by award-winning playwright and composer David Messick. He has created educational programs for the Smithsonian Air and Space Center and the Virginia Aquarium. As the founder of Rainbow Puppet Productions, his musicals have been seen by thousands of school children across the country. When not writing, he has produced internationally recognized television commercials, worked on development projects for "The Oprah Winfrey Show" and the Disney Channel, and directed legendary Oscar, Tony, and Grammy award-winning artists.Illustrations are by Liu Light who has created an enchanting framework for images of the Rainbow Puppets. But the adventure doesn't end with the story -- the Rainbow Puppeteers demonstrate the operation of their puppets at the end of the book and then show you how to make shadow puppets of your own. Crafted by artisans across the country, various styles of colorful puppets help guide youngsters and their families toward a love of books.To quote from its pages, "You can find so many things to do. And you're sure to learn a thing or two. Every time you Open a Book!"