Tuesday, November 22, 2005
From the Books - An Exciting Experience
On a bright, warm, sunny almost perfect Carolina Coast November day I left my media center at Broad Creek and headed toward Morehead City and the community College. There I had the opportunity to hear a panel of children's authors speak. This was one of the opening sessions for the first Crystal Coast Book Festival. One of those authors would soon be heading out with me to spend the rest of the day at my school.
Candy Dahl author of Emily and the Civil Warriors was our guest author. We had set up lunch with her and our language arts teachers. That was most enjoyable and I don't know who had more fun. Then it was time to speak to two eighth grade classes of students who had read the book. Mrs. Dahl had very generously sent us a class set of her books. We have added several copies to our collection and there are many still floating around the building being read. These students are also in the process of writing their own books for fourth graders. Their topics deal with some aspect of North Carolina history fact or fiction or a little of both. As Mrs. Dahl's book is written for upper elementary students there couldn't have been a better match.
Questions abounded after the students heard how long it took Mrs. Dahl to write her book. She
gave them good tips as well. I think it was an afternoon that we all will remember for a long time. She them met with a very small class of students who each had a set of questions for her. They brought up some interesting questions about publishing your own books, artist and costs.
For those students who wished to purchase a book copies were for sale and Mrs. Dahl wrote a special note on each one. A day filled with memories for both students and teachers. A real live author is what so many of the children said. Our bulldog pride was ever present as we gave Mrs. Dahl a few momentous to carry with her as a memory of her day here.
For me the day did not end there. It continued as a great evening with the Children's authors and that will be another time
Candy Dahl author of Emily and the Civil Warriors was our guest author. We had set up lunch with her and our language arts teachers. That was most enjoyable and I don't know who had more fun. Then it was time to speak to two eighth grade classes of students who had read the book. Mrs. Dahl had very generously sent us a class set of her books. We have added several copies to our collection and there are many still floating around the building being read. These students are also in the process of writing their own books for fourth graders. Their topics deal with some aspect of North Carolina history fact or fiction or a little of both. As Mrs. Dahl's book is written for upper elementary students there couldn't have been a better match.
Questions abounded after the students heard how long it took Mrs. Dahl to write her book. She
gave them good tips as well. I think it was an afternoon that we all will remember for a long time. She them met with a very small class of students who each had a set of questions for her. They brought up some interesting questions about publishing your own books, artist and costs.
For those students who wished to purchase a book copies were for sale and Mrs. Dahl wrote a special note on each one. A day filled with memories for both students and teachers. A real live author is what so many of the children said. Our bulldog pride was ever present as we gave Mrs. Dahl a few momentous to carry with her as a memory of her day here.
For me the day did not end there. It continued as a great evening with the Children's authors and that will be another time
# posted by Robin Simms @ 5:22 AM 
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Thanks for capturing and sharing the important experience of having an author meet directly with students. The annual Crystal Coast Book Festival can be a tremendous opportunity for our media programs. Like you, I believe we professionals benefit as much as the students from the experience.
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