Some Schools go All Out!

It's not necessary to decorate your entire school to look like Africa or Haiti when I come. But some schools have done just that and more.

Early this month I visited

New Wilmington Elementary School tucked away behind the high school and the middle school in an Amish community in New Wilmington, PA.

Check out the amazing mural that greeted me as I walked in the door. The rays of sun and the green stalks of grass are formed from handprints of every student and teacher in the school. If you could see the tiny print you would know that every member of the school community also has their name on this amazing work of art inspired by several of my books.

But these teachers and students went beyond Africa. They recognized that the theme of several of my books has to do with recycling so everything used to make this unique work of art is recycled...I especially like the use of cereal boxes cut up for tusks and grass.

But that was not all! Look what greeted me on the stage where I was speaking in the all purpose room: A nearly life sized tap-tap with heads of the riders made out of paper bags. The wheels are vinyl...that's right the kind that some of us used to spin on record players.

Every classroom door was decorated around a theme or title from one of my books.

There were Galimotos made from all kinds of recycled and found objects all over the school.

It's not necessary but these dedicated teachers, administrators, librarians and parents know that you get so much more out of an author visit, the more you put into it.

At least one student proclaimed it would be an awesome day.

And it was!