Artists at Eldredge
Last week I was visiting schools in East Greenwich, RI. At Eldredge Elementary some very talented artists had created posters for me based on the first three books of the Secrets of the Seven series. Marvelous! I love seeing books inspire creativity.
The Eureka Key
The Eagle’s Quill. Note very faithful representation of the three main characters–Marty with her glasses, Sam in a cool tye-dyed sweatshirt, and Theo (very tall!)
The Ring of Honor. In this poster, Alexander Hamilton has joined our three heroes in a search through Manhattan for his grave. Cool and slightly creepy!
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How to Do a School Visit Right
The author’s parking spot!
Last week I went to Biddeford Intermediate School to talk with the third, fourth, and fifth graders about poetry. If you want to try being a rock star for a day, you should be the visiting author at Biddeford Intermediate.
They reserve a parking space out front “for the author.” All the kids line up to clap as you walk into the building. (For real!) They brought me snacks (yes, I am a sucker for chocolate) and an actual gift bag with goodies and a new blank book and a gorgeous pair of earrings. !!!
Wow! And I needed a new journal. How did they know?
This sounds like a school just needs to offer me earrings and chocolate to melt my heart. (This is partly true. Earrings are optional.) But it’s not the whole story.
The kids just vibrated with excitement when they came into my workshops. They called my name in the hall and waved and a few of them jumped up and down. When I made eye contact their faces glowed. They were excited about words, about books, about poetry. Their teachers treat a visiting author like a celebrity and that fills the kids up with passion for writing and art and creativity.
The kids wrote incredible poetry.
Some of the poetry the kids created, based on the images from Imagine a Night. This was before I even arrived!
That’s why the gifts and the parking space and the chocolate are important–not because I need these things to enjoy a school visit (although, again, chocolate does not hurt) but because they are visible symbols of the commitment of the teachers at BIS to helping their kids care about literature. They are the real rock stars.
Holiday Mingle at Print Bookstore!
Don’t miss this chance–signed book for all the people on your gift list, plus chance to support a great local business and chat with Maine authors and illustrators! Merry merry!
Print Bookstore is at 273 Congress Street in Portland. See you there!
Read MoreNinjas In the Stacks!
Beware the library ninja!
Don’t forget to drop by the main branch of the Portland Public Library this Saturday, 10/14, at 2:00, for an adventurous event to celebrate the launch of Deadly Wish. There will be a stealthy scavenger hunt through the stacks, ninja tattoos, Japanese snacks (green tea Kit Kats! Really!), and signed copies of Deadly Wish to purchase.
(Drop by the exhibit of art by Maine treasure Dahlov Ipcar while you are here. Gorgeous art in pop-off-the-wall color!)
Read MoreSarah L. Thomson
A children’s book author publishing award-winning nonfiction, poetry, picture books and novels including…
“Readers will treasure the blossoming friendship between opposites in this whimsically illustrated tale. Short chapters and plenty of action make for an accessible and appealing reading experience. . . . Touching and inspiring.”
—Kirkus Reviews