Come to the Museum to meet picture book illustrators and authors whose work is featured in Brandywine’s current exhibition, Rooted: Family and Nature in Contemporary Children’s Book Illustration. The artists and authors will read and sign their books and teaching artists will lead creative activities related to the themes of the books. 

In addition to free admission, creative art activities* will be offered from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Make colorful prints with vegetables, imagine a secret garden and count the contributions to a fanciful group assemblage. In the galleries, view original art from contemporary children’s books.  

The Museum will be open from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with free admission* to the galleries including the featured exhibition, Rooted: Family and Nature in Contemporary Children’s Book Illustration. 

*Pre-registration is requested for art activities. Pre-register and arrive anytime between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. to participate. No registration is required for admission to Museum galleries.

• Joe Cepeda is an award-winning illustrator of more than 30 books for children and serves as the president of the Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles. He is the author and illustrator for Rafa Counts on Papá, a story of a father and son who share a love for numbers and measuring everything from how high their dog can jump to how far they can run. Cepeda’s vibrant, bold and colorful illustrations capture the joyful, dynamic relationship between father and son. 
• Qing Zhuang was born in China, emigrating to the United States with her family at the age of seven. An illustrator, author and art teacher, Rainbow Shopping is her first writer-illustrator project. Inspired by weekend grocery trips to Chinatown with her own mother, Zhuang creates a story that is both sweet and funny and reflects on how it feels to move to a completely new country. Through her bright and exuberant illustrations, rendered in color pencil, crayon and watercolor, Zhuang captures the energy of New York City and the lively details of the bustling food market. 
• Gene Barretta is the award-winning author of The Secret Garden of George Washington Carver, illustrated by Frank Morrison. Gene has written and illustrated numerous books for children. His creative endeavors include animating short films for Sesame Street and designing characters for the Muppets. 

For questions, contact education@brandywine.org.

10 a.m. to 2 p.m. - Creative art activities with teaching artists in lobbies

11:00-11:45 a.m.- Book reading with Joe Cepeda and Qing Zhuang 

12:00-1:00 p.m.- Book signing with Joe Cepeda, Qing Zhuang, and Gene Barretta

1:00-1:20 p.m.- Book reading with Gene Barretta