Two presentations and a book signing!
School visits are one of my favorite parts about being an author. I love to talk, I love books, I love libraries and librarians, and I love kids, so visiting a school just wraps it all up into one fun day!
On Monday, October 30, I had the pleasure of spending the day at SAIL, or South Academy of International Languages. This school is truly a gem – it runs K-8, and by 8th grade, the students will be fluent in 1 of 4 languages – Chinese, Japanese, German, or French! The vibes were amazing – the students were fun, engaged, and charming, and the faculty and staff were warm, friendly, and accommodating. I would love to enroll my boys into this school!
Upon my 8:30am arrival, I immediately had a great feeling. The media center gave me all of the nostalgic vibes of the media center in my elementary school. It prompted me to walk around and pick up all of the books, so I can only imagine how the students feel walking in there everyday.
I first shared my presentation to the 4th and 5th graders. I talked about my writing journey, my books, and the inspiration behind them, followed by a Q&A with the students. After a short break, I talked with the 6th and 7th graders, with a slightly modified presentation tailored to the older age group.
After lunch, we had a book signing where I was able to talk with the students, sign their books, and even ask them about their classes and to tell me things in the languages they were learning! One thing I noticed about this school: the kids seemed confident, eager to learn, and had a great sense of self.
I truly felt honored to be a guest at this school. I still have the autographed books that authors signed for me when I was in the 5th grade, so I don’t take this lightly. I always want to make the experience memorable and enjoyable for the students.
Thank you, SAIL, for hosting me! I would love to come back. If you are an educator and would like me to visit with your school, please contact my speaking agent here!
