HUMBOLDT COUNTY CHILDREN’S AUTHOR FESTIVAL: Finding Friends in Books

At the Humboldt County Library, Children's Author Festival Exhibit.

I have been going to the bi-annual Humboldt County Children’s Authors Festival in northern California since 2007 and I am just back from this year’s festival, which was October 14-17. Each time it gets better and better!

At Laurel Tree School, with Ruthie Beaudry, Librarian.

In the Laurel Tree school library.

During the festival, twenty-five authors visit more than fifty schools over two days. Amazingly, I’ve almost never been to the same school twice. This year I went to two new schools—Laurel Tree and Trillium and had wonderful visits. 

Trillium School, Arcata, CA.

At Trillium School.

I want to thank the librarians at both schools (Ruthie Beaudry at Laurel Tree, and Courtney Schroeder at Trillium) for doing such a good job of preparing the students and making me feel welcome.

Illustration exhibit, Morris Graves Museum of Art, Eureka, CA.

So many people make the festival possible. I especially want to thank the hardworking Author Festival Committee for coordinating everything--from our travel and transportation to our meals, school visits, a trip to the zoo, the gala banquet on Friday evening, the illustration exhibit at the Morris Graves Art Museum, the book sale and signing at the beautiful Humboldt County Library on Saturday, and more.

Book signing at the Humboldt County Library.

When I came to the festival two years ago I thought it would be my last. I did not have plans for a new book and I thought it was time to make room for a new author. But then, at the end of one of my school presentations, a teacher came up to me and said, “You know, we raise fish in our classroom every year.” My ears perked up. I had written about hatching chicks and butterflies in the classroom, but never fish. And then she showed me the classroom aquarium and told me how the students hatched fish eggs and then released the young fish into the river.” This sounded like the perfect topic for a new book! 

So, the following spring I was back in Humboldt County doing the research and photography for the book. I went in February when the trout eggs were delivered to the schools and again in April when the students were releasing the fish. The book is now finished and will be published next March by Millbrook Press (Lerner). It is called FISH IN SCHOOL: How Kids Are Helping Trout. I couldn’t have done the book without the cooperation of the students and teachers at Big Lagoon and Orick schools, the Humboldt County Office of Education, and the staff of the Mad River Fish Hatchery. I thank them all.

So, when the Author Festival committee asked me if I would come back this year, I knew I had to say yes. As I tell students in my presentations, I never know where I’m going to get the idea for my next book. As it turned out, it was right there in Humboldt County.