AUTHOR VISITS at ECOLE BILINGUE Lower School and Middle School, Berkeley, CA

Wiggle and Waggle art project at Ecole Bilingue, Berkeley, CA

In late March I spent two very enjoyable days at Ecole Bilingue, a bilingual French/English school in Berkeley, California.  (My presentations were in English.) My granddaughter Paige has attended Ecole Bilingue since preschool. I visited the school several times when she was in the Lower School, but this was my first time speaking at the Middle School.

My books on display at the EB Middle School library.

At the Middle School, I was in the school library with 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students. I talked about both my writing and illustration process, with a focus on my books for older readers such as Easter Island and Global Warming and the Dinosaurs.

My book about the platypus and the translation by students at EB

Many of the 8th grade students remembered the project they had done when they were in second grade, translating my book A Platypus' World into French. It became Le Monde de Ornithorynque. The students’ English teacher gave them cards to write down questions as I talked and we had a lively discussion at the end of each session. One student wanted to know if I was ever worried about running out of ideas. The answer is no! My problem is having the time to pursue all the ideas I have. Another student wanted to know how I have the patience to do all the cutting for my cut-paper illustrations.

With EB Middle School librarian Olga Popova

I thank Olga Popova, the Middle School librarian, for arranging my visit and making sure that everything was ready. My books were on display and there was a beautiful bouquet of flowers at the front of the room. Afterward, we had a lovely lunch together at the café across the street.

In the EB Lower School MPR

My second day at Ecole Bilingue as at the Lower School where I did presentations to all the grades except for 4th. My program varied by grade level, ranging from more interaction with the younger students–singing the Wiggle and Waggle song, going on a lion hunt–to more discussion of the writing process with the older students.

Wiggle and Waggle art projects by EB second graders

There was a wonderful display in the hallway of art made by the second graders. They had read Wiggle and Waggle and made stick puppets to go in their garden pictures. I was pleased that so many students had ordered books. During lunch and at the end of the day I autographed them. I thank the Lower School librarian, Sophie Lemeur, for arranging the book orders and schedule of the day and coordinating all the arrangements. It was a full day, but very satisfying. Many thanks to everyone at Ecole Bilingue for a wonderful visit!