AUTHOR VISIT AT LA CRESCENTA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, Glendale, CA

Authors and Illustrators Day at La Crescenta School, Glendale, CA.

On Monday, February 24th, I had a good visit at La Crescenta Elementary School in Glendale, California for Authors and Illustrators Day. The day was sponsored by the Glendale Assistance League, who not only brought in the authors for the day and gave each teacher a copy of one of our books, but also gave a generous check to the school for the purchase of books for the library. I was one of four authors visiting classrooms--Tao Nyeu, Joe Cepeda and Tracy Holczer were the others. I gave presentations to first and second grade students.

Entrance to La Crescenta School.

I was pleased by the good response to my presentation by the students and teachers. We started with my book A Zebra’s World, followed by a discussion of my cut-paper art illustration process. We measured wingspans in connection with Hatching Chicks in Room 6, and sang along with Wiggle and Waggle.

After sharing my book Planting a Garden in Room 6 I was pleased to learn that there was an extensive school garden--one just for butterflies! The children especially liked my new book My Friend From Outer Space, enthusiastically helping to count down from 10 before shouting, BLAST OFF!

Special thanks go to Linelle Vicenti and Kathy Blyth for coordinating everything and making sure the day ran smoothly! I also thank all the Glendale Assistance League volunteers who helped--introducing me in the classrooms, helping out with the book signing, and bringing the delicious snacks and lunch. Many thanks to the Glendale Assistance League for another successful Authors and Illustrators Day! 

Butterfly garden, with plants for attracting butterflies.

Vegetable and herb garden.

 

MEMORIES OF MY CONDOR BOOK, Photo at the Los Angeles Zoo

L-R: Los Angeles Zoo Director, Betty White, Caroline Arnold, GLAZA President, Michael Wallace. At the Los Angeles Zoo, 1993.

In 1993 I published my book ON THE BRINK OFEXTINCTION: The California Condor, illustrated with photos by Michael Wallace, then the director of the condor recovery program at the Los Angeles Zoo. At the time, fewer than one hundred condors remained in the wild. The only hope to increase their numbers was to raise them in captivity and then release them into the wild. My book chronicles that process. Today there are more than five hundred flying free in the wild!

My friend Brenda Scott Royce, editor of Zoo Magazine, recently shared this photo with me that she discovered in their photo archive. In it I am celebrating the publication of the book with Mike Wallace, zoo supporter Betty White, the President of GLAZA, and the zoo director. It brought back many memories of that project. The book has long been out of print, but you can still find it in libraries. Condors are magnificent birds, with the widest wingspan—more than nine feet!—of any land based bird in North America. If you are lucky, you might see one soaring high over the mountains, forests, and coast of California, or perhaps over the Grand Canyon in Arizona and other places where they have been reintroduced into their historic territory. 

On the Brink of Extinction: The California Condor (Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1993)

THANK YOU LETTERS from students at Big Lagoon School, Trinidad, CA

I am always delighted to receive thank you letters from students after I do an author visit at a school. In October I visited Big Lagoon School in Trinidad, California, as part of the bi-annual Humboldt County Children’s Author Festival. After my visit the children in Ms. Rebecca’s class wrote letters and created illustrations to tell me how much they enjoyed my visit. Just a few of the comments: “Thank you for coming. It was fun.” “I like that you enjoy writing about animals.” “I liked when we did our wingspan.” “I hope you come again.”

I’m glad the children had a good time during my visit. Perhaps some of them will become authors one day!

CHILDREN'S BOOKS FOR ALTADENA: Vroman's Book Drive to Help Children and Families Affected by the Wildfires

A week ago I brought a number of my books to Vroman's Bookstore in Pasadena as a contribution to the book drive for children and families of Altadena who have been affected by the recent terrible wildfires. Vroman's is partnering with Children's Books for Altadena. I could see by the number of huge boxes of books already collected that many people have contributed. I know the books will go to good use. I was happy to help.