AUTHOR VISIT AT ANDERSON SCHOOL, GARDEN GROVE, CA

Anderson Elementary School, Garden Grove, CA, wall mural.

Last week I had an enjoyable author visit at Anderson Elementary School in Garden Grove, California (Westminster School District). I had a full day, speaking to two groups of kindergarten children in their classrooms and to grades one through six in the multipurpose room. With the younger children I did an interactive presentation in which they participated in a Lion Hunt (similar to a Bear Hunt) and helped sing the Wiggle and Waggle song. With the older children I used PowerPoint slides to talk about my books and being an author. I am grateful to the teachers who helped me navigate the technology of the screen for my slide show--every school seems to have a different system!

With my PowerPoint Presentation in the MPR

I thank teacher Denise Greene who organized the day and wrote the grant that supported my visit and funds for the purchase of my books for the school library. And I also thank Principal Kimberly Breckenridge for guiding me around the campus and for introducing me. I also thank Denise for providing my lunch--a delicious sandwich from Jersey Mikes. 

SCHOOL VISIT, Westminster Author Festival, Westminster, CA

At Meairs Elementary, Westminster, CA

Yesterday I had a wonderful day as an "author in residence" as part of the annual Westminster Author Festival in Westminster, California. The day began with a delicious breakfast at the Westminster Public Library put on by the Friends of the Library and where I met my hosts for the day, Charlene Bailey, librarian, and Kathy Kane, principal, of Iva Meairs Elementary School.  After a short program at the library and valedictory by Joan Hansen to "excite and enchant our readers," we went to the school.  I gave three presentations in the multipurpose room to students pre-school through fifth grade and was pleased with the enthusiastic response by both students and teachers.  A teacher told me at lunchtime that her students rushed back to the classroom after the program so they could start making their own books!  Lunch was a delicious potluck buffet provided by the teachers. 

I have been participating in the Westminster Author Festival for many years and glad that it continues to provide the opportunity for students to meet and be inspired by "real live authors."  When I was a child, a never met an author, and I wish I had.  I want to thank Charlene Bailey for doing such a good job of organizing my day at Meairs School and making sure that everything ran smoothly.