A DINOSAUR IN THE LIBRARY! Art and Writing Projects Make Books Come Alive

Papier Mache Stegosaurus model in school library.

In the good old days of my author visits to schools (the 1990s), everyone had read at least one of my books before my visit, and every classroom had done some kind of project inspired by a book. By the day of my visit the excitement was palpable and the hallways, auditorium, and library were filled with student projects—ranging from poems, songs and stories, to paintings, drawings and scale models. I always brought my camera. Recently, while cleaning out I found some of those photos.

Dinosaurs are always a favorite with kids and my book DINOSAURS ALL AROUND (Clarion, 1992) inspired many projects. One of my favorites was the papier mache stegosaurus mounted in the school library. While not as large as a real stegosaurus, it certainly brought a Jurassic atmosphere to the library and for the students, helped bring the content of the book to life. Just ike Steven Czerkas, the dinosaur artist portrayed in the book, they had created a dinosaur model.

Dinosaurs All Around (Clarion, paperback 1997; hardback 1993.) Out of Print. Available digitally at Amazon.

Stephen Czerkas's dinosaur models, ranging from the largest carnivores to hatching babies, are widely exhibited in museums. This book is based on a traveling exhibit, "Dinosaurs: A Global View," organized by the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and a visit to the artist's studio.

Note: Many schools still do wonderful projects as preparation for my author visits and I am always impressed by the creativity of teachers and students. But there seems to be less time now in the school day for extra projects than there once was, and I don't see as many as I used to.