SCHOOL VISITS at the Humboldt County Children's Author Festival, Eureka, CA

Last week was the Humboldt County Children's Author Festival in beautiful Eureka, California. I was one of twenty-four participating authors and during the first two days of the festival we visited more than fifty schools throughout Humboldt County. Our volunteer drivers brought us to a wide variety of schools, big and small, some in Eureka and Arcata, some located in tiny rural communities. 

I visited three schools--two on Thursday and one on Friday. On Thursday I went to Big Lagoon Elementary and Orick Elementary--taking a beautiful drive up the coast--encountering two herds of elk on the way. 

Big Lagoon has a total of twelve students. The younger children were very enthusiastic and full of questions and comments. The older students in were also attentive and very interested in the writing and publishing process. I thank the principal, Christy Ng, and the teachers for sharing my books ahead of time and preparing the students.

At Orick School, which has nine students, there were more elk on the playground than students! It was fun having lunch with the kids and getting to know them and the teachers. I enjoyed the personal way I was able to share my books with them. And I appreciated their charming penguin drawings that were inspired by my book A Penguin’s World.  I thank the principal Justin Wallace for coordinating my visit.

Orick School is at the edge of Redwood National Park. After my visit, my driver and I took a short detour for a walk through beautiful Ladybird Johnson Grove before returning to Eureka.

On the second day of author visits at the Author Festival I visited Coast Redwood Montessori School, tucked in the dunes of Humboldt Bay. I loved the enthusiasm of the students and their great questions. I thank librarian Tess Yinger for preparing the students for my visit. During the break before lunch, the children proudly showed me the extensive school garden. 

I then followed the path to the top of the dunes for a spectacular view of the ocean on one side and the bay on the other.

I have been participating in the Humboldt County Children's Author Festival since 2007. Every year I go to great schools, each with its own personality. I thank everyone on the Festival committee for doing such a great job of coordinating all of the author visits.

HUMBOLDT COUNTY CHILDREN'S AUTHOR FESTIVAL: Celebrating 50 Years!

Celebrating 50 years of the Humboldt County Children's Author Festival

I'm just back from Eureka, California, and the incomparable Humboldt County Children's Author Festival--celebrating its 50th year! It is an honor to have been part of the celebration—three days with author visits in the schools, a gala banquet, and book signing in the Humboldt County Library. I was one of twenty-four authors, together visiting more than fifty schools throughout Humboldt County--all organized by the dedicated Author Festival Committee. No other author festival has such wide community support and such amazing volunteers.  

Morris Graves Museum, Youth Gallery Exhibit. Illustrations from my books, A Day and Night on the Prairie and A Day and Night in the Desert, on the right.

At the Morris Graves Museum of Art, Eureka, CA.

The first event was a reception at the beautiful Morris Graves Museum of Art (formerly a Carnegie Library). Prints of two of my illustrations were on exhibit in the youth art gallery along with art by other participating author/illustrators.

Big Lagoon Elementary School

Orick Elementary School

I have been coming to this biannual festival since 2007, and every time I go to terrific schools-some big, some small, many of them rural. This year was no exception. I loved my visits at Big Lagoon and Orick schools with their small number of students and the chance to interact personally with the kids. 

Welcome sign at Coast Redwood Montesori School

And the students at Coast Redwood Montessori were great too. I loved the question from one of the students, "Are you going to write a book about us?" Who knows? Ideas for new books are everywhere.

In the dunes behind Coast Redwood Montessori School.

Coast Redwood school is tucked in the dunes on the peninsula between the ocean and Humboldt Bay. During the break before lunch with the students at Coast Redwood I had a chance to walk in the dunes. What a fantastic view! 

Marina, Eureka, CA.

On Friday afternoon the authors had free time. Some took the opportunity to do the Sky Walk in the redwoods at the Sequoia Park Zoo, an activity I enjoyed on my last visit to Eureka; this time I did a self-guided walking tour of Eureka’s historic downtown, with its buildings from the turn of the last century when Humboldt Bay was a major port along the California coast.

All the authors at the banquet.

On Friday evening everyone assembled for a gala banquet at the new Sequoia Conference Center, in a large room filled with festive decorations. Delicious birthday cakes (see photo above) were provided by Ramon's Bakery. The highlight of the evening was the program in which each author gave a three-minute talk.

At the Humboldt County Library.

Humboldt County Library.

The last event of the festival was the book signing at the library on Saturday, when from 10am to 2pm the authors had the chance to meet the public and autograph books. Profits from the book sales help to support the festival. 

History of the Children's Author Festival at the Humboldt County Library.

Upstairs at the library was a wonderful exhibit of the history of the author festival with a display of posters, T-shirts, a quilt, and other memorabilia from the past. 

So many people work hard to coordinate all the details of the author festival and make sure everything operates smoothly and on schedule. I thank everyone on the committee for inviting me to be part of the Humboldt County Children's Author Festival once again. And I thank all the volunteers for everything they do to make this festival special. It was an honor to be part of the celebration of the 50th year of the Humboldt County Children’s Author Festival. Here's to many more!

ART SHOW: Morris Graves Museum of Art, Eureka, CA

Children's book illustrations on exhibit at the Morris Graves Museum, Eureka, CA.

I'm just back from Eureka, California, and the incomparable Humboldt County Children's Author Festival--celebrating its 50th year! The first event was a reception at the beautiful Morris Graves Art Museum (formerly a Carnegie Library).

With giclee prints of illustrations from my books A Day and Night on the Prairie (Capstone 2015) (top), and A Day and Night in the Desert (Capstone, 2015) (bottom)

Prints of two of my illustrations were on exhibit in the Youth Gallery along with art by other participating author/illustrators. Many thanks to Lucy Quinby for coordinating the show!

In front of the Morris Graves Museum of Art.

The building, once the town library, is on the National Register of Historic Places.