I discovered Chris Gall’s work only recently when I came across one of his Dinotrux’s books. Struck by his amazing style, I checked out several of his other books.
Chris Gall has been working as an illustrator for more than 20
years. With close to a dozen picture
books published so far, he has already made an indelible mark on the industry.
Working as both author and illustrator on most of his books, he has shown
innovative vision and extraordinary talent. His style has similarities to other
beloved illustrators like David Wiesner, Steven Kellogg, and Chris Van Allsburg.
Like Wiesner, he has an amazing imagination. Gall brings the
ordinary and the fantastic, mashes them together, and creates a captivating
experience. For example, in Dear Fish
he takes the ideas of pen pals and company visiting to hyperbolic and astonishing
levels. Substitute Creature begins with every day occurrences in the classroom and moves
them to outrageous flights of fancy.
Like Kellogg, he utilizes every space, including end,
copyright, and title pages. Gall uses his illustrations as much as the text
to move the storytelling forward and make little detours of humor. For instance, in The Revenge of the Dinotrux the bots
escape after being “civilized” by school and books. Left in the tracks is the book Escape from Alcatraz. Also, there are often bits of irony and pun included. In Dear
Fish, puns are abundant, such as when a school of fish invades a classroom and swordfish help a carpenter
with his work.
Like Van Allsburg, he is a profound storyteller. Gall’s stories are not about animals or
Dinotruxs. Instead, his characters are
often metaphors or symbols. The unruly Dinotruxs symbolize undesirable behaviors
often found in children like impatience, thoughtlessness, and selfishness. Dog vs. Cat represents a blended family
though it could be more universally connected to learning to get along with
others.
Gall’s illustrations are bold. They often have a
three-dimensional appearance. Sometimes, he employs
techniques commonly found in graphic novels like blocking and multiple scenes
on a page. A variety of mediums work together to create each illustration. He frequently uses more traditional means like clay-engraved
art or colored pencils with digital effects. Other books have revolutionary tools. Dinotrux was created using bearskins and
stone-knives while Substitute Creature
utilized bat wings, toad juice, and the bundled whiskers of a black cat. :)
Finally, his books often have a twist at the end. In Awesome Dawson the final scene depicts Dawson using
one of his inventions to help in an alien invasion while Dinotrux simply has the eyes of one of the bots flash on. These
types of endings prompt a discussion of inference and provide opportunities for
creative writing.
Like a great literary fiction, there are layers and layers to unpack in his books. Look closely at the illustrations as well as their interconnectedness with the text. Chris Gall's books will surprise you with new insights and small treasures with each reading.
Like a great literary fiction, there are layers and layers to unpack in his books. Look closely at the illustrations as well as their interconnectedness with the text. Chris Gall's books will surprise you with new insights and small treasures with each reading.
Peter Alan writes a letter to the fish, places it in a bottle,
and throws it out to sea. The next morning he wakes up to find the fish have
taken him up on his offer to visit. They are everywhere—in the bathtub, at the
baseball game, in the yard, and at the rodeo.
After numerous disruptions, he writes the fish another letter to
encourage them to go back home.
Eventually, life returns back to normal.
Until, Peter Alan finds a note on the beach. This one is from the
fish!
Teaching
Connections: Puns (primarily
in the illustrations), Onomatopoeia, Strong Verbs, Letter Writing, Inference
Dawson spends all his time repurposing toys and household items
into new imaginative and useful creations.
Hating to do chores, he comes up with a solution—that ends up causing so
much trouble, he wishes he was at home doing chores! Dawson stops the “monster” machine, but he
does not stop coming up with ways to make chore time go more quickly and
efficiently.
Teaching
Connections: Simple Machines, Robotic, STEM, Recycling, Problem
Solving, Inference
When a riotous class gets an unexpected substitute teacher, they
think it is an opportunity for mischief and mayhem. Their substitute is not what they
expected—nor what the audience thinks either. As he presents hard cases from past
classes of daydreamers, doodlers, and paste-eaters, the audience is treated to
highly imaginative and disastrous consequences that ensue.
Students are not fully convinced though until the substitute creature
reveals his own past delinquency.
Teaching
Connections: Inference, Irony,
Creative Writing, Poetry, Rhyme, Hyperbole
Cat and Dog are far from being two peas in a pod. Dog is a playful
mess. Cat is seriously organized. Their
idea of fun could not be more different. When trying to co-exist peacefully
doesn’t work, it becomes an all out war.
An unexpected event prompts a truce though. Will the peace last?
Teaching
Connections: Sibling/Step-Sibling/Friendship Relationships, Problem
Solving, Puns, Hyperbole
Dinotrux, part-truck, part dino demolition dynamos, ruled the
world millions of years ago. Rude Rollodon, greedy Garbageadon, and edgy
Dozeratops were just a few of the disruptive Dinotrux. Ironically, they are so uncivilized that even the
cave people are fussing at them! A terrible storm causes most of Dinotrux to
rust and sink down, down, down into the mud.
The smart ones migrate south where they slowly lose their misbehaving
ways and ancient features. Now they are always on the job and never quit working hard. A prehistoric discovery may change everything
though!
Teaching
Connections: Manners,
Dinosaurs, Onomatopoeia, Irony
After spending decades in a museum being poked, prodded, and
mistreated, Tyrannosaurus Trux leads the other Dinotrux out into the modern
world. Reminiscent of a Godzilla take-over (with lots of humor and irony), they
wreak havoc on the town. The mayor sends them to school to learn “how modern
trucks behave.” School seems to be
helping to tame their wild ways…at least until they are on the loose again. When
the Dinotrux are tracked down deep in the woods, everyone is afraid to see what
is causing all the commotion.
Teaching
Connections: Manners,
Dinosaurs, Onomatopoeia, Irony, Problem Solving
Gall has two new books premiering later this year. Nanobots will be released in August 2016. The Ninjabread Man with author C.J. Leigh is due out September 2016.
Gall has two new books premiering later this year. Nanobots will be released in August 2016. The Ninjabread Man with author C.J. Leigh is due out September 2016.
