Thursday, March 17, 2011

March is Reading Month

In Michigan and other states in the Midwest (and elsewhere?), March is Reading Month. That means most authors I know are hitting the road, taking their presentation to schools and conferences far and wide.
So far this season (Feb-March) Charlie and I have presented at:
Averill Elementary in Lansing
Chelsea Library for a cartooning workshop (through Jerzy Drozd - went fantastic)
Winn Elementary in Winn near Shepherd
Elmhurst Elementary in Lansing
Attwood Elementary in Lansing -- my kids' old school, and how very cool to revisit
Shepherd Elementary
Borland Elementary in Imlay City
Kurtz Elementary in Milford
Smith Road Elementary in Temperance
Country Oaks Elementary in Commerce Township
Sodt Elementary in Monroe
Grand Rapids, One Book, One City:
Ken-O-Sha School
Harrison Park School
North Park School
Buchanan Elementary.

Coming up soon:
Kingsley Elementary in Traverse City
Gardens Elementary in Marysville
Garfield Elementary in Port Huron
Crull Elementary in Port Huron
Fair Haven Elementary in Fair Haven
Blue Water Reading Association Conference
Millside Elementary in Algonac
Algonac Elementary in Algonac
Blue Water Young Readers Conference
Our Lady of Victory in Northville
Dibble Elementary in Jackson
Frost Elementary in Jackson
Wainwright Elementary in Lansing
Clare Primary School in Clare
Cromaine Library in Hartland
and
Houston SCBWI Conference.

That sounds like a lot, to me!
I have a new presentation with a story-creation workshop that is getting rave reviews from kids and teachers. It all started in Sparta, last November. Standing in front of a group of three year olds I suddenly realized they could barely hold pencils and thus would not benefit from the normal Pre-K program I did (using letterforms to make doodles).
So we improvised, on the spot.
The program was such a big success with the littlest kids that we tried it with the older kids. Again, great fun. We used it for all of the sessions that day, and again at the next Sparta school (we visited Appleview and Ridgeview), and at the Holt schools (Wilcox and Midway) and in three Indianapolis schools (New Augusta South Elementary, Eagle Creek and Fishback Creek Elementary).
By December we knew exactly what would make a great program for the spring author visit season.

Thank you to the schools, libraries and bookstores who hosted us (and who are bringing us in still).
Mr. Barshaw (the timekeeper and presenter of votes) and I have had a really great time getting to know students, librarians, teachers, media specialists, principals, support staff, families and bookstore people.
And thank you to our fellow writers, to teachers and librarians and booksellers and PTA/O members who have referred us to other schools for events.
More to come -- and pictures! But right now I have an art deadline to meet.

PS -- Want to schedule me for a school visit? There's still time! Not in March, but in spring. :) Visit my website: http://ruthexpress.com