BATTLE OF THE BOOKS and LITERACY FAIR, Red Hill Elementary, Tustin, CA

Book display at Red Hill Elementary Battle of the Books and Literacy Fair.

On Monday March 2^nd, Read Across America Day, I was one of seven authors with an exhibit table at the Battle of the Books and Literacy Fair at Red Hill Elementary School in Tustin, California. The Battle of the Books is a nation-wide program celebrating reading. At Red Hill, five teams of three students each had read nine books (three by each student) and then responded to questions in a Jeopardy-like competition. There were two rounds of questions. In the first round, students responded by writing their answers on an erase board. In the second round they raced to ring a buzzer in order to answer the question. Parents and brothers and sisters cheered them on from the audience. Before and after the competition and during the intermission, students and their parents browsed the exhibit tables, purchased books and snacks, and got autographs from the authors on their programs. It was a fun community event, celebrating the joy of reading.

Families watch as students on stage compete in the Battle of the Books.

I thank science teacher Reena Fosse for inviting me and for organizing the event. I also thank school librarian Vinnie Yeung and the volunteer high school students who helped with the set-up. Reena Fosse told me that she started the Battle of the Books when her children were students at Red Hill Elementary. This was the fourth year of Battle of the Books. She told me that it gets bigger and better every year.

FRANKFURT BOOK FAIR, COMBINED BOOK EXHIBIT: Look for SETTLEMENT HOUSE GIRL

The Frankfurt Book Fair, in Frankfurt, Germany, October 15-19, is the world’s largest book fair. You can find my memoir SETTLEMENT HOUSE GIRL: Growing Up in the 1950s at Northeast Neighborhood House in the Combined Book Exhibit which features independently published books.

 You can find both the paperback and ebook of SETTLEMENT HOUSE GIRL in the Combined Book Exhibit booth, Halle 6.0/D33. For an ebook preview of the first chapter of the book click on the link on the Combined Book Exhibit webpage for the book.

Book Description

A chronicle of children's book author Caroline Arnold's childhood living at a settlement house--from nursery school and after school clubs to summers at camp. A window into life at mid-century and Caroline's future as a writer and illustrator.

Book Review 

"The narrative presents a wealth of historical information as well as an insider's view of an uncommon subject matter." BookLife Prize review

SETTLEMENT HOUSE GIRL is available at Amazon. For more about the book go to my website.

 

AUTHOR VISIT at NEVADA AVENUE SCHOOL for Read Across America Week

On Monday I spent a full and exciting day at Nevada Avenue School in Canoga Park, California, helping to launch a week celebrating reading. As I arrived, I found my parking place, marked by a beautiful sign made by my host, librarian extraordinaire, Najma Hussain, who did a terrific job preparing the students and organizing my day.

Welcome poster in the school hallway

At the start of the school day the students assembled on the playground and recited the pledge to reading in honor of Read Across America week. Then I was introduced and said a few words. After that my day began with three assemblies in the auditorium.

The room was decorated with wonderful artwork made by the students. Each class had focused on a theme inspired by one of my books. Most had chosen to learn about one of the habitats from my Day and Night series.

There were pictures of rain forest toucans and jaguars, bison on the prairie, forest animals peeking through the trees, lions in Africa, polar bears in the arctic and much more.

Butterflies made by ETK students

Several of the younger TK classes learned about butterflies, and one class, Room 10, had real caterpillars and butterflies in their classroom. During a break I made a special visit to see them. (The students told me that they wanted me to rename my book "Butterflies in Room 10"!)

With ETK teacher, Room 10

After the assemblies I spent the rest of the day visiting classrooms, where the students had the chance to ask questions and get a close-up look at my butterfly materials and my fossil mammoth tooth.

Najma Hussain, librarian at Nevada Avenue School

I thank Najma Hussain for making this a special day for me–for organizing the schedule, for providing a big selection of my books in the library, for arranging time for me to chat with teachers and Principal Tanya Nott, and for delicious snacks and lunch to keep me going through the day. My visit was made possible by funds raised from the school book fair, organized by Najma. Nevada Avenue School is lucky to have such a devoted and enthusiastic librarian!

AUTHOR VISIT and DINOMITE BOOK FAIR at Wood Ranch Elementary, Simi Valley, CA

Every year the PTA at Wood Ranch Elementary school in Simi Valley, California, invites an author to present at the school in conjunction with the book fair held in early April. This year I was that author. I gave presentations in the MPR to three groups of students–4th and 5th graders, 2nd and 3rd graders, and lastly, the K-1 students. Everyone was enthusiastic and I was impressed by the excellent questions.
After being treated to a tasty lunch by the PTA, I stayed after school so that I could talk with parents and students at the book fair and autograph books. The book fair, operated by Scholastic, had ordered two of my books, Hatching Chicks in Room 6 and Living Fossils.

I enjoyed my day at Wood Ranch and thank the PTA for sponsoring my visit, especially book fair chair Ilse Blanda and all the other hard working committee members and volunteers, for  making sure that everything ran smoothly. I also thank Principal Kate Snowden, for helping with the technical set-up, and Kim Holden, the office manager, for coordinating the arrangements and setting up the schedule.

BEDTIME STORY JAM, Author Visit at Westwood Charter School, Los Angeles, CA

Last Friday evening the children of Westwood Charter Elementary in Los Angeles, California, came to school dressed in their pajamas ready to listen to stories from me and thirteen other children’s book authors as part of the school's annual Bedtime Story Jam. In between sessions they ate milk and cookies and browsed for books at the book fair in the library.

This was my second time to participate in this fun celebration of reading. I had two groups of very enthusiastic children and their parents in my room. I showed slides, read my book Hatching Chicks in Room 6, talked about birds and eggs and feathers, and signed books.

I thank Karen Boyarsky, my volunteer room host, for helping me to set up and for making sure that everything ran smoothly. Karen is a retired librarian and we discovered that we had met many years ago at another author event. We also found out that we both have an interest in birds, especially the California condor!

I also thank Jenna Carlston and the Bedtime Story Jam committee for inviting me and organizing this festive event. Afterward they sponsored a reception on the library patio for the authors-- a wonderful chance to relax, chat with other authors and enjoy delicious food. And I thank Mrs. Nelson’s Book Fair Company for supplying my books for the event. I was pleased to see that so many had already been purchased by the night of the Story Jam.

During the course of the evening I saw several families I knew and enjoyed meeting many other students and parents. Westwood Charter is one of my neighborhood schools and it is always a pleasure to be part of a local event.

Author Visit at Porter Ranch Community School, Porter Ranch, CA

Last week I had an enjoyable visit to Porter Ranch Community School in Porter Ranch, California, where I did three presentations--to third, fourth, and fifth grade students. The audiences were enthusiastic and the students had good questions. The event was scheduled in conjunction with the school book fair being held in the library. The auditorium was decorated with large posters of puppies and kittens to go with the the book fair theme: "It's READING Cats and Dogs!"
I thank book fair chair, parent Jill Kipnis, for inviting me and coordinating my visit.

BOOK FAIR Author Visit at Hawthorne School, Beverly Hills, CA

With my books at the Hawthorne School Library Book Fair

One evening last week I gave a presentation to Kindergarten through third grade children and their families at Hawthorne Elementary School in Beverly Hills, California, in conjunction with their school Book Fair. Once a month the children come to school for an evening “Story Time” and listen to stories read by members of the community and many of them dress in their pajamas for the event. On the night I visited I could see that many of them were all ready for bed! We met in the cafeteria for my presentation, which included reading my books Wiggle and Waggle and A Zebra’s World. Then the children got a treat of milk and cookies before we all went to the library for the Book Fair and I autographed books. The Book Fair was put on by Mrs. Nelson’s Book Fair Company. It was a fun evening celebrating books and the joy of reading and I thank the parents who helped put it on and for sponsoring my visit.