Nature Kids: Grade 1 Literacy
This project was an early-education workbook meant to prepare children for Grade One. The product was an interactive eBook that could also be printed and filled out on paper.
The client was an English Tutor who needed a short, fun, illustrated book for her students to use at home during the Pandemic lock-downs. I themed the content of this book around Nature and the outdoors to encourage these children to explore their earth in times of social-loneliness. Each exercise guides the children through basics of literacy at a First Grade level.
All artwork for this piece was hand-drawn using Adobe Photoshop & Illustrator
I created the character of “Reading Racoon” as a mascot for this book series, to help guide the children through each lesson with a fun, furry, friend.
During my Research phase I discovered that reading comprehension increased 80% in dyslexic children when using a blue or gray overlay on the page, and thus added a light blue to my pages before importing content.
PROCESS
Before commencing work within Illustrator and InDesign, I drew various sketches of characters and draft layouts. After revamps of the designs that stood out, I converted these ideas to a moodboard to come up with color themes and type that expressed this Kid and Nature friendly brand.
In developing the Brand for this educational book, I brainstormed some fictional people who would be likely be the target audience. From there I visualized and developed User Persona’s to get a feel for who would identify with the “Nature Kids” book series. Before I began sketching, I researched the education guidelines for first grade and created my content with my own three year old in mind.
