ShortHand Publishing - West Vernon Author Visit

WEST VERNON ELEMENTARY

AUTHOR VISIT

OCTOBER 22/03

Wednesday started out dull and dreary, with clouds practically sitting on the ground it looked like it could rain at any time. It may have started out with no sun in sight, but this day would not end that way.

With four hours to go before our author visit I began to make breakfast. During this time, there was still no sun to be seen. However, that was about to change. All this time the sun was trying its hardest to break through the cloud, almost succeeding, but not quite. As I sat down to eat there it was, the sunshine and the cloud! Both at the same time, how could this be?

It was almost as though the sun was shining through a funnel. It was shining down as a beam of light with the clouds still surrounding its very edges. I still wasn’t able to see the mountains, but at least the sun was shining. By the time I finished washing my dishes, sunshine had replaced the clouds and I could see the mountains once again. I just knew it was going to be a good day.

Soon, we were on our way to another author visit. It looked as though we’d have time to spare, but I hadn’t counted on meeting a neighbour as we pulled out of the driveway or in the construction that we ran into in Vernon near the school. All in all, we still made it in time.

With some help from librarian Darlene Yamaoka and a student, we were quickly settling into the library upstairs, and were awaiting our first group. No time for nerves today, almost before we were ready the grade one class had arrived.

We were introduced to Evelyn Surkon, a student teacher, she would be taking pictures for us today. We also had a smaller group today then we were used to, but it was none the less enthusiastic. This was the first time we would have just one grade, but let me tell you, those grade one students sure asked great questions. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

Darlene Yamaoka, like many of the other librarians was thrilled to be able to sit in the rocking chair while reading the story. Before long she looked at me and said “I might have a hard time getting out of this chair, it sits very well.” This of course begs the question, why would anybody throw this chair out?

But we’re not here to answer that question today. After my introduction and a short talk with the children it was time to hear, The Rocking Chair Rescue. I found it interesting that Mrs. Yamaoka was the first one to discuss with the children the phrase on the first page, ”You’re the runt of the litter.” The children found it amusing when they realized the connection between that phrase and Kathy’s nickname.

Every person has their own style of reading to children, and I suppose it is this fact that keeps these visits from becoming monotonous for Mom and me. Different people also pick up on different things in the story, which I find fascinating. I suppose because these were five and six year olds it made sense to ask them how many children were in Davey and Kathy’s family after their siblings were mentioned. Things I didn’t even think of when I wrote the story, but these are all things that can be learned.

Another question asked was, “Was it stealing to take the rocking chair?” There was a resoundingly NO from all the children. This of course, was due to the place the rocking chair was found. (But I won’t give away that detail.) There were a few more oohs and ahhs from the crowd and after a little more discussion, the story was over.

Then came my favorite part, questions and answers. The first question was from Mrs.Yamaoka and it was directed to the children.

“What did you learn from this story?”

One girl was quick to raise her hand and confidently answered, “It’s about communicating with one another.”

To say I was amazed at her response is an understatement. I wasn’t that clever when I was five and six years old. The children came up with many great things that they had learned from the story other than communication. They also learned that it’s nice to do something for someone else and in doing so it can make you feel good.

Another question was if I had fun making the pictures. I explained that I just wrote the story and that I didn’t do the illustrating. A discussion about illustrating a book followed.

Surprisingly none of the children asked my age. Whew, what a relief.

Some of the other things we talked about where, with the shape my hands are in how easy or how difficult is it for me to write. I explained that hand writing is not easy and it’s also not very neat, but instead I use a computer for writing and that typing much easier. I had mentioned that I had had a lot of surgeries on my hands and one child asked what my hands looked like before the surgeries.

As it would be impossible for me to show them, as my wrists no longer bend, I asked a girl sitting in front of me if I could use her hand to show the class, she agreed. I then gently took her hand in mine and bent her wrist down and outwards to give the class some idea of what my hands had been like. I heard a few groans from my audience.

We also talked a bit about the fact that I had been teased a lot when I was going to school. It is my sincere hope that I can help these children realize how much that hurt me, and that no one should ever be teased for any reason.

When all questions were exhausted Mrs. Yamaoka gave me and thank you card, partly to show the children how we sometimes show appreciation to someone.

I figured turnabout was fair play, and I handed Mrs. Yamaoka thank you card of my own.

Today I had one of the longest goodbyes I’ve ever had, after everything was over the children still milled around. A couple of girls brought over a copy of Lost and Found and asked me if I would read it to them. What could I say? So they sat down in front of me and I started to read. Reading one of my books to schoolchildren was something I had never done before. I quite enjoyed it. However other people were starting to come into the library and things got a little loud. I closed the book saying, “Maybe your teacher can finish reading it to you.”

They seemed quite happy with that, thanked me and were on their way.

Once we were packed up Mrs. Yamaoka carried the rocking chair to the car for us and once loaded we visited a little. Mom mentioned that not one of the children had asked my age this time, commenting that it was a first. And here I thought I had gotten away with it, not so.

Mrs. Yamaoka said that she figured one of the children would ask that question, and that she had been wondering the same thing. So for the first time I broke down and told her my age. Mind you I swore her to secrecy.

And so another author visit ends. I would like to say a huge thank you to Darlene Yamaoka for being a wonderful hostess. I would also like to thank teachers Mrs. Robson and Mrs. Snider, your grade one children were a delight. Also thanks go to student teachers Debi Drake and a special thank you to Evelyn Surkon for taking the pictures.

And last but not least I’d like to thank the wonderful grade one class of West Vernon Elementary, you provided us with a wonderful afternoon, thank you all. Until next time, be well. J