Author Visits in the Madison School District, Phoenix, AZ

At Madison Rose Lane Elementary School with Jahnvieve and Deborah Reker

I have spent the last week doing author visits at four schools in the Madison School District in Phoenix, Arizona: Camelview, Rose Lane, Simis and Madison Traditional Academy.  The first three are primary schools, grades K through 4 and Madison Traditional Academy has students through grade 8. (I presented to K-6.) At all the schools I did four presentations and also autographed books that had been ordered ahead of time.  I thank Deborah Reker, District Librarian, for doing a terrific job organizing my visits and helping to coordinate each day. And I also thank her hard working library team–Valerie, Jahnvieve, Vicky and Cotton-- for preparing the students at each school for my visit by familiarizing them with my books and organizing the book signings. At each school I received a warm welcome and an enthusiastic response to my program. I also thank my friend and super librarian Mary Wong for making the connections that made my visit to Phoenix possible. It was a busy but very successful week! 

Author Visit to All Saints Episcopal School in Phoenix, AZ

Yesterday I had an excellent visit at All Saints Episcopal School in Phoenix, Arizona. I gave three presentations in the Parish Hall to students in kindergarten through sixth grade as well as doing a visit to the children in the pre-kindergarten classroom. I was pleased with the good response to my program by both students and teachers. As always, the last part of my presentation was the time where the students could ask questions. I was impressed by the variety of questions. One of my favorites was “Did you stay awake at night to see the activity in the different habitats?” My answer:  In some cases, yes. Another question was, “Why did you organize the habitat books with each page at a three-hour interval?” My answer: Because that was what worked best for the length of the book. And another question: “Why do you illustrate your books with artistic pictures instead of photographs?” My answer: For one thing, because it is hard to take pictures of animals that are active at night!  There were lots of other good questions as well, but these questions showed me that the students had looked carefully at my new books in the Caroline Arnold’s Habitats series. 

I thank Librarian Jenny Oleksak for inviting me to All Saints and for doing such a good job of preparing the students for my visit and managing the book sale. I also thank the parents for their generous support and for the delicious morning coffee and lunch. I think it was a very successful day!

Author Visit to Endeavour Elementary School, Bakersfield, CA

Yesterday was my third day in Bakersfield and another terrific school visit, this time at Endeavour Elementary School. I did presentations to three groups students in the auditorium, grades 1-6, and was impressed by their enthusiastic participation and good questions. I also did a workshop with a second grade class who had “won” my visit because their class had ordered the most books for autographing. I read my tall tale, The Terrible Hodag and the Animal Catchers and then asked the students to create their own “mixed-up” animals. They invented some very unusual creatures! 

Many of the primary students had read Wiggle and Waggle and as I toured the school I saw the school garden filled with flowers and vegetables and feeders for attracting birds and butterflies. At lunchtime I enjoyed a delicious meal of Mexican food with the teachers in the staff lounge. I thank librarian Katie Feldstein for all her hard work in organizing the day, ordering books, and preparing the students. I thank Principal Matt Diggle for introducing me and seeing that everything in the day ran smoothly. And I especially thank Cathy Jordan, a very devoted volunteer at Endeavour, for guiding me through the day. Altogether, it was a very successful visit!

Author Visit at Quailwood Elementary, Bakersfield, CA

Library Display at Quailwood Elementary

Today I had another excellent school visit in Bakersfield, California, this time at Quailwood Elementary School, where I did three assemblies in the auditorium and then did a visit to the kindergarten and pre-K classroom.  I thank Principal Kim Carlson for organizing the schedule, introducing me at the assemblies, and making sure that everything ran smoothly during the day. I also thank Sandy Molen in the library for coordinating the book sale and autographing. More than 100 books were sold! Sandy Molen did a great job preparing the students for my visit by reading my books to them in the library before I came.  I was impressed by the enthusiasm of the students during the assemblies and pleased with their excellent questions. It was great that many of them indicated that they might like to be authors or illustrators when they grow up. As I tell the students during my program, I never had the chance to meet a real live author when I was growing up. I wish I had. Perhaps if I had realized that being an author was a career choice, I might have started writing sooner!

Author Visit at Horace Mann School, Bakersfield, CA

Today I had a terrific visit with students and teachers at Horace Mann Elementary School in Bakersfield, California and I thank kindergarten teacher Kyle Johnson for her super organization of the day. I was greeted by a colorful welcome sign made fourth graders, who also made a sign for the staff room where we had lunch. In advance of my visit, every class had received a copy of my books Wiggle and Waggle and Too Hot? Too Cold?.
 

After reading them, the kindergarten classes made their own Wiggle and Waggle books, using my story as writing prompts for their own stories. All the primary students knew the Wiggle and Waggle song–which we sang together during the assembly while it was acted out with my Wiggle and Waggle sock puppets. One of the classes even came to the assembly wearing wonderful Wiggle and Waggle hats!

During my break I got a tour of the new school garden which had been planted in raised beds next to the playground. They were bursting with lettuce, peas, onions and all kinds of vegetables ready for harvest. Wiggle and Waggle would have been proud!  Some of the garden vegetables were used to make a delicious salad for the potluck lunch I had with the teachers.

I enjoyed the chance to chat with the teachers and have the opportunity to autograph their books. Altogether, it was a very successful day. I thank Kyle Johnson, the principal, and all the teachers and staff who assisted throughout the day. I also thank the PTA for its generous support.

New BOARD BOOK: A Zebra’s World

A zebra is born under the hot African sun. She nuzzles under her mother and drinks some milk. Soon, the young zebra is eating grass and drinking water. She needs energy to run fast with the herd. With hooves pounding the hard ground, a herd of zebras takes off across the plain.

A Zebra’s World, now available as a board book for young readers, has just been published by Picture Window books. This new book, based on the 2006 book with the same title but now with a shorter text and sturdier pages, brings the story of a zebra's first year to younger readers. Follow the black and white stripes of the young zebra as she grows up in Africa.

A readable and lively text provides a close-up look at these black and white animals in this "anything but black and white" book. Cut paper illustrations help tell the tales of these amazing animals and the world in which they live. This picture book follows a baby zebra from birth on the grasslands of Africa through the first year of its life. It shows zebras in their natural home along with other animals that share their environment. The book can be read aloud to younger children or an older child can read it alone.

Author: Caroline Arnold
Illustrator: Caroline Arnold
Size:  8 x 8  •  Copyright: 2015  •  Publisher:  Picture Window Books  •  Pages:  20
Subjects: Primary Animals
Title ISBN: 9781479563555 (1479563552)  •  Price: $7.99
Guided Reading Level: L  •  Lexile Level: 660L
 •  AR Level: 3.5  •  AR Points: 0.5  •  AR Quiz Number: 103781

A Zebra’s World is in the series Caroline Arnold’s Black and White Animals.
Look for all four titles in this board book series:
A Polar Bear’s World  ISBN: 978-1-4795-6357-9
A Penguin’s World   ISBN 978-1-4795-6356-2
A Panda’s World  ISBN: 978-1-4795-6354-8
A Zebra’s World  ISBN:978-1-4795-6355-5

New BOARD BOOK: A Panda’s World

In a den high in the mountains of China, a baby giant panda is born. Tiny at first, the young animal quickly grows. Soon it will join its mother as she searches for bamboo in the forest. Follow this plant eater through his second winter as he learns to live on his own.

A Panda’s World, now available as a board book for young readers, has just been published by Picture Window books. This book, based on the 2006 book with the same title but with a shorter text, brings the story of a panda's first year of life to younger readers. It follows a baby panda from birth to life on its own in its natural habitat in the mountains of China. It can be read aloud to younger children or an older child can read it alone.

A readable and lively text provides a close-up look at these rare black and white mammals in this "anything but black and white" book. Cut paper illustrations help tell the tales of these amazing animals and the world in which they live.

Author: Caroline Arnold
Illustrator: Caroline Arnold
Size:  8 x 8  •  Copyright: 2015  •  Publisher:  Picture Window Books  •  Pages:  20
Subjects: Primary Animals
Title ISBN: 9781479563548 (1479563544)  •  Price: $7.99
Guided Reading Level: L  •  Lexile Level: 630L
 •  AR Level: 3.4  •  AR Points: 0.5  •  AR Quiz Number: 103779

A Panda’s World is in the series Caroline Arnold’s Black and White Animals.
Look for all four titles in this board book series:
A Polar Bear’s World  ISBN: 978-1-4795-6357-9
A Penguin’s World   ISBN 978-1-4795-6356-2
A Panda’s World  ISBN: 978-1-4795-6354-8
A Zebra’s World  ISBN:978-1-4795-6355-5

New BOARD BOOK: A Penguin’s World

Cheep, cheep, cheep! The cold Antarctic wind carries the small voices of two newly hatched Adelie penguin chicks. Their fluffy down feathers keep them warm. The young birds grow fast and soon will be black and white just like their parents. It won't be long before they will be able to plummet like torpedoes into the sea, and speed through the waves.

A Penguin’s World, now available as a board book for young readers, has just been published by Picture Window books. Dive into this chilly book and learn about penguins. A readable and lively text provides a close-up look at these black and white sea birds in this "anything but black and white" book. Cut paper illustrations help tell the tales of these amazing birds and the world in which they live.

This new book, based on the 2006 book with the same title but now with a shorter text and sturdier pages, brings the story of a penguin's first year to young readers. It follows two Adelie penguin chicks from eggs to independence. We see the penguins in their natural home on the beaches and ice shelves of Antarctica along with other animals that share their environment. The book can be read aloud to younger children or an older child can read it alone.

Author: Caroline Arnold
Illustrator: Caroline Arnold
Size:  8 x 8  •  Copyright: 2015  •  Publisher:  Picture Window Books  •  Pages:  20
Subjects: Primary Animals
Title ISBN: 9781479563562 (1479563560)  •  Price: $7.99
Guided Reading Level: L  •  Lexile Level: 740L
Accelerated Reader  •  AR Level: 3.7  •  AR Points: 0.5  •  AR Quiz Number: 103780

A Penguin’s World is in the series Caroline Arnold’s Black and White Animals.
Look for all four titles in this board book series:
A Polar Bear’s World  ISBN: 978-1-4795-6357-9
A Penguin’s World   ISBN 978-1-4795-6356-2
A Panda’s World  ISBN: 978-1-4795-6354-8
A Zebra’s World  ISBN:978-1-4795-6355-5

New BOARD BOOK: A Polar Bear’s World

In an icy den in the Arctic, two baby polar bears are born. Six weeks later they are big enough to follow their mother across the frozen ocean. For the next two years, the young bears will stay with their mother while she teaches them how to hunt. Climb into this book and find out what happens in a polar bear's world.

A Polar Bear’s World, now available as a board book for young readers, has just been published by Picture Window books. This new book, based on the 2010 book with the same title but now with a shorter text and sturdier pages, brings the story of a polar bear's first year to young readers. It follows two baby polar bears from birth to life on their own. A readable and lively text provides a close-up look at these powerful carnivores. Cut paper illustrations help tell the tales of these amazing animals and the chilly world in which they live. This picture book shows polar bears in their natural home along with other animals that share their environment. The book can be read aloud to younger children or an older child can read it alone.

Author: Caroline Arnold
Illustrator: Caroline Arnold
Size:  8 x 8  •  Copyright: 2015  •  Publisher:  Picture Window Books  •  Pages:  20
Subjects: Primary Animals
Title ISBN: 9781479563579 (1479563579)  •  Price: $7.99
Guided Reading Level: M  •  Lexile Level: 650L
Accelerated Reader  •  AR Level: 3.6  •  AR Points: 0.5  •  AR Quiz Number: 134292

A Polar Bear’s World is in the series Caroline Arnold’s Black and White Animals.
Look for all four titles in this board book series:
A Polar Bear’s World  ISBN: 978-1-4795-6357-9
A Penguin’s World   ISBN 978-1-4795-6356-2
A Panda’s World  ISBN: 978-1-4795-6354-8
A Zebra’s World  ISBN:978-1-4795-6355-5