Library connecting school children with popular authors

This spring we have had the opportunity to connect school children across the County with authors who come to share their books, their writing experiences, and their creativity.

Harley the Hero

As part of the County Library Authors Festival, author and illustrator Peggy Collins brought her book Harley the Hero to the Wellington Branch Library and presented to classes from CML Snider School.

Her book is based on the real story of a teacher who had a service dog at school, and describes how Harley the dog became a hero during a small fire in the school. The classes then participated in an interactive drawing exercise learning how to draw Harley and two other cartoon dogs.

Still My Tessa

Another story which is based on real life is Still My Tessa by Slyv Chiang. She joined us as part of Canadian Children’s Book Week to share her story with school classes at Athol South Marysburgh School. Still My Tessa is a Blue Spruce Finalist in the Ontario-wide Forest of Reading Program and won the CBC Kids Award.

It tells the story of two siblings, based on Chiang’s real children. Tessa reveals they are nonbinary and Evelyn, Tessa’s sister, becomes a fearless advocate for Tessa. Sylv then led the children in a discussion about what it means to be an ally and the children worked on art asking them to draw a superhero and describe a time they were an ally.

Having the opportunity to hear from an author in person is an important part of inspiring children to become writers themselves. As they learn more about the path authors take from inspiration, to writing, to publication, it becomes possible for them to envision that as a possible pathway for their own lives. Both authors stressed that anyone can be creative and encouraged the students to consider telling their own stories.

As part of an upcoming author series in June, thanks to the Huff Family Fund through the County Foundation, we’ll host author Willie Poll.

Willie is the author of Our Ancestor’s Kitchen, which is a picture book celebrating traditional Indigenous harvesting, foods, and the connections that these build for all our relations. Any educators interested in bringing a class to this talk should contact me by email at liz@peclibrary.org – space is limited. Thanks to Lindsay of the Wandering Albatross Bookshop for connecting us with Willie Poll.

We’re also thrilled to support local authors and illustrators. Illustrator Meg Hewick’s most recent release, The Troublesome Twenty, was written by Andy J. Alexander and is now available in the library. Young readers are invited to join in the fun when the Troublesome Twenty take over tiny Town and create chaos.

Drop by any branch of the library to check out these and more exciting children’s books.