A Read-Aloud with Cathryn Falwell: Turtle Splash

This post is part of a series of videos by Maine-based children’s book authors and illustrators reading aloud. This week, we’re featuring Cathryn Falwell,  author and illustrator of Turtle Splash. Doctors in Maine gave Turtle Splash to 4-year-olds back in 2005 and to 2 1/2-year-olds in 2018. Raising Readers also shared Cathryn’s books Pond Babies (2013) and Feast for 10 (2008). 

In this excerpt from Cathryn’s website, she shares a little about herself and where she finds inspiration to create her beloved picture books.

I’m a lucky person, because I love what I do!

I like to draw and paint and make things, I like to write, I like to be with kids—especially outside in nature—and I love to read.

So being a writer and illustrator of children’s picture books is a pretty great job for me.

I’ve been making books since I was around three or four years old.

Before I could read or write, I made pictures and taped them together to make books.

When I was in the second grade, I told my mom that I wanted to make picture books when I grew up.

I did a lot of other things along the way—I went to college, taught school, worked as a graphic designer, and explored a bunch of other directions—but since 1991 I’ve been writing and illustrating books professionally.

In my books, I love to encourage children to explore nature and foster their imaginative play as a way to develop empathy and to nurture their social-emotional learning…

Behind our house is Frog Song Pond which is home to lots of turtles, ducks, salamanders, and of course…frogs!

The pond has inspired many of my books.

I even have a treehouse where I can watch all the critters in and around the water.

My work is mostly in cut-paper collage.

I love this medium because I can easily experiment and make changes. Plus I get to make a splendid mess!

Happy Reading!

Cathryn

To see Cathryn read her book, visit our Facebook Read-Aloud Group by clicking here or click on the photo directly below. You can also check out more read-aloud videos on her YouTube channel!

But wait–there’s more! (Click on the image to download a printable PDF)

Explore More Books by Cathryn Falwell

We Have a Baby
Word Wizard
Scoot!
Butterflies for Kiri
And many more!