A Heartwarming School Visit
Last February, I traveled to Hendricks Elementary School in Tucson, AZ. for their annual “Love of Reading Week.” As a visiting author, I had chosen to read Robbie Roadrunner’s New Friends, my first in a series of three books about this spirited young desert dweller. How would these first graders respond to this interactive story? Would they relate to Robbie, who, in the book, feels uncertain about making new friends? Would they participate? This would be the “acid test.”
A Warm Classroom Welcome
As I entered the classroom, lingering nerves quickly faded. The students quietly chatted as they returned from lunch, some smiling shyly in my direction. Their teacher, Ms. Miller, wasted no time organizing them. She asked everyone to gather at the front of the room and sit “crisscross applesauce,” creating a comfortable and familiar atmosphere for story time.
To help the children connect with me, Ms. Miller projected my picture onto the front screen. She introduced me as the “author”—the very person who had written the book they were about to hear. The moment Ms. Miller explained this, I could see the curiosity and fascination spark in the children’s eyes as they realized they were about to meet the creator of the story firsthand.
The excitement was palpable, and it was hard to tell who was more thrilled about the event, me or the students. Their warmth and enthusiasm made me feel like a substitute grandparent for the day.
Engaged Young Readers and the Joy of Storytelling
As I began reading, I could see their interest grow as the brightly colored illustrations caught their attention. The questions accompanying the story brought eager responses via raised hands and thoughtful answers. Their curiosity about being “a real author” was fascinating and rewarding. I assured them that as they learned to read and write, they too, could become authors of their own stories. They had been studying the Sonoran Desert and the first animal they learned about was…the roadrunner! I felt they would be well prepared for their upcoming visit to The Desert Museum.
Having previously worked around early learners such as these, I was encouraged by the enthusiasm and the welcoming environment that surrounded my visit. On the way home, I realized once more, this is why I write children’s books!
Janet