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“Stories are how things stick.” – Forest Bell

Do you still remember the stories your teachers told you in grade school? Do you still know the words for a song that helped you remember something? Do you remember the stories your parents told you growing up? Have you read a book and lost yourself in time, and looked up an hour later remembering where you are?

What did you see today that you want to remember? What can you tell us about it? E. O. Wilson said that scientists are telling stories too, repeating in a different form the paleolithic ritual of hunting, dragging a carcass back to the group, and telling a story about it. (See Coyote’s Guide). How there are conventions and prizes awarded, and how the careers of the scientists depend on telling an accurate and compelling story.

One of the best games I have learned in years also comes from William Steig. If you’re ever stuck in a bus station, waiting for a train, a flight, an order at a restaurant, whatever, this is a great game to know. It’s called Five Lines.

It’s quite simple. Draw five lines of any direction, curve, or squiggle on a sheet of paper. Then, give the lines to your friend, son, daughter, father, mother, sister, brother, cousin, uncle, aunt, stranger, student, teacher, grandparent, grandkid, or whoever’d like to play. Their instruction is to turn those five lines into a face, by adding lines. You can add as many lines as you’d like, but you should incorporate the original lines into your drawing.

Many of my favorite illustrations come from William Steig.

For instance, here’s Steig’s illustration of his character Dr. DeSoto, a classy dentist who later risks his life to fix a toothache inside the jaws of a fox.

William Steig wrote Shrek. He wrote Sylvester and the Magic Pebble. He wrote Dominic and C D B. Children’s books, but like many good children’s books, possessing themes that transcend children’s literature.

Credits:

Thanks to Charlotte for the inspiration of writing about books.

Image source.