Boxitects, Spagetti-tects and Blanketeers

I have yet to find a child who is not lured into creativity by an empty box.  Empty boxes are the most incredible treasure in the world because they can become anything your mind can dream up.  If you have an appliance box, look out, you have a built in playhouse, rocket ship, post office, really just about anything. There is something completely nostalgic about a giant empty box, grown ups and children alike cannot resist it’s powers of creativity.

In Kim Smith’s new release Boxitects, she reflects on the love and desire of children to build with found materials.  Meg is a boxitect so her mother sends her to Maker School. At Maker School she meets all kinds of other builders: blanketeers, spaghetti-tects, tin-foilers and egg-cartoneers but she is the only boxitect and that makes her feel pretty special; until Simone shows up.  Meg and Simone have to learn to build together and share ideas because a team of boxitects is better than one lone boxitect any day.

Boxitects is a lovely story about collaboration and building.  Fully fitting into the STEAM category it is a story that will inspire children to build with whatever materials they have on hand and to explore different kinds of construction.  Also a story about teamwork, how when we work together instead of competing against each other we can build just about anything. I love Kim Smith’s illustrations. They have a really Saturday morning cartoon vibe which speaks right to the heart of this cartoon loving reader. You will probably recognize her style from the Pop Classics popular film picture book adaptations such as E.T. And Home Alone.  Her illustrations are vivid and eye catching, without any white space at all, really engaging and full of life.