We are so fortunate at Warwick to bring authors and illustrators to our school to talk to the students about their processes in creating the books we love to read. A special thank you to our PTO, local bookstores, and principal for their support in this endeavor. Scroll down to check out our past and present author visits.
2020 was a stellar year of author visits with 4 authors (5 if you count the duo separately) coming to visit our Warwick students: Bob Shea & Zachariah OHora, John David Anderson, Thomas Taylor, and Beth Ferry. Each author/illustrator shared his/her talent and passion for literacy.
In 2019 we welcomed 2 authors, Frank Murphy for our Kdg. - 3rd graders and our own CB-grown Matt Landis for our 4th - 6th graders. Frank Murphy is the author of wonderful narrative nonfiction books and picture books. He shared his latest one, A Boy Like You, which is a book ALL families should have in their home libraries. Check out his website:
Matt Landis joined us in 2019 to talk to our 4th - 6th graders. He shared his energy and passion for reading and writing. Some kids even got to have a small group writing session with him. Check out his website:
In May of 2018 we welcomed Dan Gemeinhart to Warwick to share his wonderful writing style with 4th - 6th grades. The teachers and students LOVE his chapters books, and we were so excited for the release of his last 2 books, Good Dog and The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise. He even surprised our Parent/Child book club. Check out his website: http://www.dangemeinhart.com
We were thrilled when we were given the opportunity in March of 2018 to have Lauren Tarshis, author of the VERY popular I Survived series, visit with our 3rd - 6th graders. She explained her research for writing her books, shared the newest one coming out, and a special secret about herself as a young reader. Be sure to check out her website and go on a field trip to the Museum of the Revolutionary War. https://www.laurentarshis.com/
In fall of 2017, Adam Lehrhaupt visited with our K - 3rd grades. The kids enjoy his characters and his fun books. He helped them understand character development and plot.
In 2017 we had the two authors of a new fantasy series, The Adventurers Guild. They shared with the students how they co-authored the book, each one writing the chapters for each of the two main characters. They even had the students in 4th - 6th create a fictional character.
We were VERY EXCITED to have the Oscar award-winning author, illustrator, and filmmaker, William Joyce, visit with our 1st - 3rd grade in April, 2017.
We were THRILLED to have the Newbery award-winning author, Jerry Spinelli, visit in 2017 with our 5th & 6th graders. He shared with them his writing process and from where the idea for his latest book, The Warden's Daughter, came. Jerry graciously took questions from the students about writing and his books and answered them honestly.
In September of 2016, we were pleased to have author/illustrator, Kathryn Otoshi, as our visiting author. She visited Warwick with all students K - 6th. Her books are an inspiration to all who read them. Beautiful Hands opens up all of the possibilities of the beautiful things we can do with our hands, and she poses the question to her readers, What will your beautiful hands do today?, inspiring us to take action. This book will make a great addition to your personal library.
We kicked off the 2016 year with a bang when Mac Barnett came to visit with our 3rd and 4th graders, thanks to Ellen Mager at Booktenders. His hysterical series, The Terrible Two, is a BIG hit with the kids. He had the teachers and children laughing the minute he stepped out on stage in disguise.
Peter Catalanotto and his books are always a treat for our primary grades, Kdg. - 2nd grade. He visited in February of 2016 and demonstrated how he illustrates and uses mistakes as opportunities to look at something in a new way. His Matthew series was a big hit with our first graders.
Check out his website: www.petercatalanotto.com
Our Kindergarten and 1st graders were fortunate to meet a local artist, Kim Kost of The Windowsill Fairy. She visited in March of 2016 and shared her illustrating and publishing processes. The kids followed along as Kim demonstrated how to draw. They all felt like illustrators after her visit.
Check out her website: www.thewindowsillfairy.com
On May 11, 2016 Warwick's 3rd - 6th graders met Lisa Graff. Her characters and storylines are ones that readers will remember for a long time. She gave great advice on how to write well, and she shared the process it takes to writing a book. Her latest book, A Clatter of Jars, is due out May 24th, and we got to hear a chapter read by Lisa herself before the book is released. Some of our 5th grade students and their parents had a special visit with her during their parent/child book club. They also enjoyed book-inspired cake recipes from A Tangle of Knots.
March of 2015 brought the award-winning author Pam Munoz Ryan to Warwick to visit with our 6th graders thanks to Ellen Mager at Booktenders. Her book, Echo, recently received the Newbery Honor in children's literature. It is an incredible book that intricately weaves three stories together through a mysterious harmonica.
Check out her website: www.pammunozryan.com
In May of 2015, Debbie Dadey shared her writing process with our K - 3rd grades. She is the acclaimed author of the Bailey School Kids series, and her latest series, The Mermaid Tales.
In June of 2015, Chris Grabenstein shared his writing process with our 4th - 6th grades. 4th and 5th grade students and their parents enjoyed his book, Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library for their parent/child book club in April.
The sequel to Mr. Lemoncello's library just came out this year - 2016!
In November of 2015, Nancy Krulik visited 1st through 3rd graders to talk about her popular series, George Brown and Magic Bone. Her books are still being requested by the children.
Visit her website - www.katiekazoo.com
2014 - 2015 was a great year for Warwick Author Visits! We started the year with a visit from the one and only Jeff Kinney, author of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. A HUGE thank you to Ellen Mager from Booktenders who arranged this wonderful opportunity. 4th grade classes from Barclay, Buckingham, and Doyle joined our 4th - 6th grades on Wednesday, November 5th. Jeff Kinney shared his writing and illustrating processes. He encouraged the children to follow their dreams.
In 2014 we welcomed Eric Kimmel to Warwick. The children were looking forward to meeting the man behind the stories and characters they enjoyed. See some of the images from his visit.
In 2013 Warwick welcomed author/poet, Kalli Dakos. She visited with all students, K - 6th, on Friday, April 26th. It was perfect timing to have a poet visit Warwick because April 26th was POEM IN YOUR POCKET day.
In the spring of 2012, we were excited to meet Elise Broach, author of picture books and novels. She creates believable characters that her readers will cheer for in the end. We met her on Friday, May 18th. A before-school book club, made up of eight 6th graders, read her Shakespeare's Secret. We read the book and met in the library to discuss the chapters we read. In between meetings we blogged about what we were reading. The book club members got the chance to introduce Elise when she visited.
Thanks to our friend Ellen Mager at Booktenders, we were able to get a special visit with the talented author/illustrator/musician, Barney Saltzberg. He visited our 1st and 2nd grade classes. The kids LOVED his books and his message - "you can turn mistakes into ideas and ideas into stories; ideas for stories are everywhere."
Barney playing for the kids. A student starts with a doodle. Barney turns it into a picture.
In 2011, Margie Palatini came to Warwick on Thursday, May 5th. She is a fabulously funny author of many books, some of which include Piggie Pie, Sweet Tooth, and Bedhead.
In the spring of 2011, 5th graders were visited by a new author to children's literature, Maureen Sherry. They read her debut novel, Walls Within Walls, and blogged with 5th graders from Buckingham.
In 2010, Peter Brown visited with Warwick's 1st - 3rd graders on Thursday, September 16th. He was engaging and interesting. He shared how he comes up with his ideas, and he demonstrated how to draw Squeaker, a character from his new book Children Make Terrible Pets. Every student got a hand-drawn, autographed bookmark of Squeaker. They are still checking out his wonderful books.
