illustrations in children's literature

I'm teaching a children's literature class at CBU this semester (one of my favorite classes to teach) and my favorite assignment that students do is an illustration analysis.  The students, in various mediums, analyze illustrative forms such as space, technique, line, color, perspective, character placement, rhythm, and other elements.  Before they write their analyses, we study different kinds of art, and what kinds of art we find in children's literature.  I use specific examples for each kind of art which are really fun:  realism, cartoon art, folk art, surrealism, naive art, art nouveau, expressionism, etc.  Although I'm teaching this as an online course now, when I had students in a hybrid course, I'd have them do an activity in which I give them four illustrations used in children's books, all from the same illustrator, and have them, in small groups, create a story based on the pictures.  They can rearrange the pictures in any way for the story they write.  I use four illustrations from my favorite children's illustrator, Danish artist Kay Nielsen.  I love the lines, the colors, the rhythm, and the actions of characters in these illustrations.  Students aren't familiar with the illustrations, which usually makes for fun story lines.  Here are a few of my favorites: