KAHBAHBLOOOM: Ed Emberley Book Week

Sunday, February 19 - Saturday, February 25, 2017

Welcome to Ed Emberley's Book Week!
The Worcester Art Museum is proud to help celebrate more than 60 years of imaginative picture book illustration in the exhibition KAHBAHBLOOOM: The Art and Storytelling of Ed Emberley. During our nation-wide book week celebration, you can continue to spread the joy at your library, bookstore, classroom, or even your home! This February school vacation week, use the Ed Emberley's Book Week website for all your Book Week needs! Including curricula for your classrooms, tips for how to decorate your library spaces a-la-Emberley, or simply find out more about some great books to read with your families.

Share your great results with the hashtag #EdEmberley.

Book Week Events at the Worcester Art Museum

Feb Fun: Tell me a Story
February 21-24, 2017
Let your child's imagination run wild with colors, shapes-and more-inspired by the exhibition KAHBAHBLOOOM: The Art and Storytelling of Ed Emberley. These fun, hands-on workshops for youth and teens include gallery visits and exploring new art techniques in the studios. Two and four hour workshops available.

Learn more

Helmutt's Drop In Studio
Open hours: Wednesday-Friday, 11am-12noon, and 1-3pm; Sunday 2-4:45pm.
Add to your museum visit experience by participating in Helmutt's Drop-In Studio, offered in conjunction with the exhibition, KAHBAHBLOOOM: The Art and Storytelling of Ed Emberley. Try your hand at some of the techniques Ed uses to create his colorful picture books, like thumbprint drawing, printmaking, and making pictures with color block shapes. New art-making activities weekly. Suitable for all ages; Helmutt's Drop-In Studio is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Free with Museum admission.

Book Week Events at the Worcester Public Library

All programs take place at 2pm at the Main Branch of the Worcester Public Library, unless noted otherwise. Recommended for school age children (6-12).

Tuesday, Feb 21: Kahbahbloom Afternoons with artist & WAM Faculty Member Jaime Buckmaster. Jaime will conduct a workshop on Ed Emberley's many artistic forms.
Art Cart: Thumbprint art 3-5pm.

Wednesday, Feb 22: Art Cart: Flip book art 2-5pm.

Thursday, Feb 23: Kahbahbloom Afternoons with crafter Carmen Barbosa. Carmen will offer a program on fingerprint art and recycling.
Art Cart: Thumbprint art 3-5pm.

Friday, Feb 24: Art Cart: Flip book art 2-5pm.

Saturday, Feb 25: Kahbahbloom Afternoons with local artist & WAM Faculty Member Bayda Asbridge. Participants will view a short video interview of author and illustrator Ed Emberley and friends. Children are then invited to recreate his artwork as the finale of our week long celebration.

Artmaking Activities for Anyone

Ed Emberley Activities
Printable drawing sheets from EdEmberley.com
Printable activities from EdEmberley.com

Downloadable Drawing & Coloring Sheets
Click on images below to download pdfs.

Bugs Drawing Sheet

Cars and Trucks Drawing Sheet

Cats Drawing Sheet

Dragon Drawing Sheet

Drummer Hoff Coloring Sheets

Curriculum Guides

The Worcester Art Museum is working to make its Special Exhibition content more accessible to teachers, homeschool groups, and family audiences. Below are recent additions to our collection of curriculum guides. With easily-understandable connections to grade-level standards, these curriculum guides make exhibition connections (and school field trip justifications) stress-free.

selected works

Glad Monster, Sad Monster: A Book About Feelings
The Story of Paul Bunyan
Ed Emberley's Great Thumbprint Drawing Book


Learn more about Curriculum Guides

Book List

This is a list of Ed Emberley books still in print. See if you can find other special copies and out-of-print books, too!

We recommend reading the following books this week:

Sunday, February 19: Ed Emberley's Drawing Book of Animals, Little, Brown, 1970.
Monday, February 20: Drummer Hoff, Prentice-Hall, 1967.
Tuesday, February 21: The Story of Paul Bunyan, Prentice-Hall (Englewood Cliffs, NJ), 1963.
Wednesday, February 22: Picture Pie: A Circle Drawing Book, Little, Brown, 1990.
Thursday, February 23: Glad Monster/Sad Monster: A Book about Feelings, Anne Miranda, Little, Brown,1997.
Friday, February 24: The Wing on a Flea, Little, Brown, 2001
Saturday, February 25: Ed Emberley's Great Thumbprint Drawing Book, Little, Brown, 1977.

Printable Poster

selected works

Hosting an Ed Emberley-themed activity at your library or school? Use this helpful printable flyer to publicize your event.

Download an 8.5x11 printable event flyer (pdf)

Ed Emberley Book Week was planned in partnership with the Worcester Public Library. For Ed Emberley books and more, visit your local Worcester or other neighborhood branch library.