April is always my busiest month for visiting schools and I love it! What better way to turn students into lifelong readers and writers? Connecting kids to an author or illustrator that actually created the book can be an unforgettable experience for students--and for the author.
I get so inspired by what media specialists and teachers do to make my visit the best it can be. One media specialist decorated the library using themes from all my books and art classes drew posters. At another school kids drew their favorite character or a particular setting from one of my books. One school created a rain forest in the school entrance, vines and all, and students from each class made different animals that lived in each layer of that habitat. . Another school actually drew large murals and hung them on school doors and as I walked around, there were the huge covers of each of my books! At another school the music teacher created a play from my "Marsh Music" and another school sang "Over in the Ocean, in a Coral Reef" and acted out what the sea creatures did. At a different school, they did a play about the planets. And most recently, a school performed a reader's theater for my latest book "Going Home, the Mystery of Animal Migration." I could go on and on... from seeing my name on the school billboard, to being interviewed on morning announcements, to hearing stories young authors have written, and answering their provacative questions, to coming to a school where kids are wearing wildlife tee-shirts (frogs, birds, fish, etc.)to celebrate my visit. It is all truly AMAZING.
Thank you, dear educators and students, for making my books come alive!
I'll be seeing you in Florida at:
Hobe Sound Elementary, Hobe Sound
Seminole Springs Elementary, Sorrento,
Sawgrass Elementary, Clermont
Brookshire Elementary, Winter Park
Gardendale Elementary, Merritt Island
Jupiter Farms Elementary, Jupiter
Trinity Oaks Elementary, Trinity
Seven Springs Elementary, New Port Ritchey
Schrader Elementary, New Port Ritchey
Lighthouse Elementary, Jupiter
Will let you know how this all went in my May blog!
Happy Spring!
I get so inspired by what media specialists and teachers do to make my visit the best it can be. One media specialist decorated the library using themes from all my books and art classes drew posters. At another school kids drew their favorite character or a particular setting from one of my books. One school created a rain forest in the school entrance, vines and all, and students from each class made different animals that lived in each layer of that habitat. . Another school actually drew large murals and hung them on school doors and as I walked around, there were the huge covers of each of my books! At another school the music teacher created a play from my "Marsh Music" and another school sang "Over in the Ocean, in a Coral Reef" and acted out what the sea creatures did. At a different school, they did a play about the planets. And most recently, a school performed a reader's theater for my latest book "Going Home, the Mystery of Animal Migration." I could go on and on... from seeing my name on the school billboard, to being interviewed on morning announcements, to hearing stories young authors have written, and answering their provacative questions, to coming to a school where kids are wearing wildlife tee-shirts (frogs, birds, fish, etc.)to celebrate my visit. It is all truly AMAZING.
Thank you, dear educators and students, for making my books come alive!
I'll be seeing you in Florida at:
Hobe Sound Elementary, Hobe Sound
Seminole Springs Elementary, Sorrento,
Sawgrass Elementary, Clermont
Brookshire Elementary, Winter Park
Gardendale Elementary, Merritt Island
Jupiter Farms Elementary, Jupiter
Trinity Oaks Elementary, Trinity
Seven Springs Elementary, New Port Ritchey
Schrader Elementary, New Port Ritchey
Lighthouse Elementary, Jupiter
Will let you know how this all went in my May blog!
Happy Spring!