It was T-minus two minutes until students were set to arrive, and my presentation was still not showing up on the big screen. We'd tried connecting my laptop to the school's system. Their devices didn't like my Macbook, so we'd switched to a school laptop...only for me to have trouble logging into my Google drive. I changed my password, and the confirmation was sent to my husband's email. (He was at a nearby park/playground with our kiddo.) The school's technology coordinator was the picture of patience and persistence, with myriad solutions—and USB cords.
As the first eager faces appeared in the doorway to the gymnasium, my first slide finally popped up onscreen:
We were in business!
The rest of the day went much more smoothly than that harried half-hour before the students came in. (Even with one more TV glitch that forced us to switch monitors between presentations...) Despite not having done a school visit in person since probably 2016, and never for elementary schoolers, I found my footing. I left at lunchtime so very ready to visit more schools and to talk to more kids about the process of creating stories.
So, what actually happens during an author visit?
The Nuts and Bolts
Sam Houston Elementary School is a K-3 school in Maryville, TN, the town where I grew up. (I didn't go to Sam Houston myself, but I know many people who did—and some of them have kids there now!) I did two separate presentations, first for the entire 3rd grade and then for the entire 2nd grade. Each period was an hour long, so I'd prepared to present for about 45 minutes, including Q&A time at the end. (More on what I prepared vs. reality in a bit...)
My Class Critters books are aimed at kids ages 6-9, so 2nd and 3rd grades are really the sweet spots. That said, now that I've got these two presentations under my belt, I can see how I could offer a simpler version for 1st graders or even kindergarteners, as well as a more complex version for 4th graders. The basic framework I came up with—Recipe for a Story—really does work for a variety of ages. In fact, I may create a version of the same presentation for middle-schoolers in 2024, using examples from The Thirteenth Circle instead of Class Critters!
These are the ingredients that I use to create my stories:
Ideas
Questions
Research
Imagination
I began by talking to the students about the initial spark that led to the Class Critters series (the title of book one: Tally Tuttle Turns into a Turtle), and how I knew it was an idea worth pursuing because it made me ask questions. Some of those questions led me to do some research. Other questions required me to use my imagination to fill in the blanks. And each answer I found or came up with gave me more ideas and/or led to more questions.
Each ingredient feeds the others, and the story begins to take shape.
Once we'd gone over the recipe, I asked the kids to mix together some story ingredients of their own. I gave them their idea: what if you turned into an animal for a day? We dove in from there.
The Surprises
I rehearsed this presentation over and over before the big day. Honestly, I was pretty nervous about it. Elementary schoolers can be a tough audience! All of that practice did pay off—but I still had to be flexible. A couple things surprised me and forced me to think on my feet:
I'd been worried about not having enough material. About finishing too soon. About awkward silences. Instead, I found that I'd prepared a bit too much! The kids were so engaged in the writing activity that it took longer than I'd planned for—meaning that we had very little time left for Q&A at the end. I adjusted in the moment by skipping parts of my script that seemed extraneous.
The difference between 2nd and 3rd graders was eye-opening! I began with the older kids, who were generally able to write with confidence in response to my prompts. They had tons of ideas and, although the teachers and I were walking around to help, they were pretty self-sufficient. Then I had the 2nd graders, a lot more of whom needed help thinking of an animal that started with the same first letter as their name, and then spelling that animal, and then thinking of things they knew about that animal...basically, they needed more guidance and hand-holding. Which is totally fine and normal! It just took more time, which again caused me to have to adjust and trim on the fly.
So, what am I thinking in response to these two surprises? I'm going to go through my script and my slides and see if there are any places that definitely should be streamlined—anywhere where I simply gave too much information. Then, I also want to highlight tidbits that are optional—a.k.a. things that could be cut for time if necessary. I know that the more I do this, the better I'll get at responding to the specific group of kids in the room in that moment, but I also want to be prepared.
One other thing, which wasn't so much a surprise as an unexpected perk: the school's principal told me beforehand what their "quiet signal" is: a raised hand and the words "Give me five." This was invaluable information! The writing activity encouraged collaboration. The kids really enjoyed talking to each other about their animal and their questions and ideas about their story...which meant the gym got pretty loud at times. Knowing what quiet cues the students were accustomed to following helped me keep order and bring everyone back to focusing on me so I could move forward. I am definitely going to ask about this at every school I visit from now on.
The Highlights
Without a doubt, one of the highlights of the day was how excited and invested the kids were in doing the creative activity. Their imaginations were really working hard, and it was a joy to see! I asked their teachers to let me know if any of them actually end up writing a story about their animal day, and I really hope they do. I spoke to nearly 300 kids, so the odds are good that at least a few have the writing bug!
Another amazing thing about this particular visit was that the school purchased a paperback of either Tally Tuttle or David Dixon for every child in the 2nd and 3rd grades. The kids didn't know about this beforehand, and when their principal made the announcement at the end of my session, well...it was the closest I'll ever get to being a celebrity. The squeals of glee! The shocked faces! The happy dances! I am over the moon that the school was able to support both me and their students' love of reading in this way.
I walked out of the school building at noon absolutely exhilarated. (Also, exhausted. All that extroverting is hard work.) I couldn't wait to talk to more students. I would have gone straight to the other local elementary schools that afternoon, if it could have been arranged. Hopefully, it will be soon!
Which brings me to the part of all this where, perhaps, you come in. Do you have kids in elementary school, or connections to an elementary school? Let's chat! I would love, love, love to come talk to your students about how stories are created, and to ignite their imaginations with a fun, stress-free writing activity. I can do this presentation in person or virtually, depending on your location and needs. I can also offer free casual Zoom chats, if budget is an issue. It's not just about spreading the word about Class Critters. It's also about inspiring the next generation of readers and writers.
What I'm:
Reading: Lauren Magaziner's brand-new young middle-grade novel, The Mythics: Marina and the Kraken! This is book one in a new five-book series set in a world where every kid bonds with an animal on their 10th birthday. Marina and four other girls are the exceptions: they are destined to bond with mythical creatures, like Marina's kraken! Each book will follow one of the five girls as they find their "Mythies" and learn to work together as a team. I thought book one was full of humor and heart. If you have a 7- to 10-year-old, definitely give this series a look.
Watching: It's fascinating to have the new Game of Thrones series and the new Lord of the Rings series airing at the same time. (What a time to be a fantasy nerd!!) After two episodes of "The Rings of Power" and three of "House of the Dragon," I think I'm leaning toward middle-earth at the moment...but really it could change from week to week. Are you watching one or both series?
Loving: Look at this kindergartener! I am so very proud of her.
