Amazing Bulletin Boards at CCLS

I visited Christ Community Lutheran School in Webster Groves, Missouri yesterday (Friday, 2/1/2013). I spoke with students in grades Kindergarten through 4th, and afterward we took a tour of the school. The teachers designed amazing bulletin boards inspired by my books, and the students did a fantastic job creating the art and writing stories.

Our tour guide and the primary organizer of our author visit was the 1st grade teacher, Ann Schmidt. Her bulletin board featured the students’ favorite book, TINY SNAIL (above).

Arrival and set-up: 9:15 – 9:35 am.

Kindergarten 9:50 – 10:15

1st and 2nd grades 10:30 – 11:15

Lunch and Book Signing 11:15 – 1:00

3rd and 4th grades 1:00 – 1:45 pm

Tour 2:00 – 3:00 PM

Designed by Mrs. Dittmer’s kindergarten class, this bulletin board based on POLLIWOG illustrated the pond above and below the water.

Below, many students wrote stories, and a trail of brightly colored snails marched up and around the bulletin boards.

The “Polliwog Pond” below was created by Mrs. Belsha’s kindergarten class. This bulletin board was covered with tadpoles made from balloons. The tadpoles were at various stages of their transformation. They even created frog eggs from bubble wrap!

The “Surf Shack” was the reading specialist’s room, and the entrance featured a table highlighting my books as this week’s feature.   

The most elaborate design was based on SEA HORSE, RUN! and created by three classes of 2nd grade students (Mrs. Ladd, Mrs. Brown, and Mrs. Leet). The display gave the illusion of walking through a glass tunnel at an aquarium. The walls and ceiling were covered in a cloth that mimicked water, and the collage of sea creatures were designed to scale by the students.

Mrs. Karen Brown (left) and Mrs. Marcia Ladd (right) are pictured below.

The next montage of pictures contains closeups of this elaborate bulletin board. The eel has christmas lights inside so he lights up, and the red coral ‘growing’ out of the floor was made from swimming pool noodles. So creative!!!

A big thank you to the students and staff of CCLS for making my first author visit of 2013 so memorable. I can’t think of a better way to start the new year!

The school also created a video at animoto.com about my visit:

http://animoto.com/play/5cMYy1IkS8S906qO4qQoZg

“SEA HORSE, RUN!” Enters Second Printing

My fourth picture book, “SEA HORSE, RUN!”, received two more reviews and another award.

The Dallas World Aquarium featured my book in their Winter 2011 newsletter, Eco Currents. “Sea Horse, run!” was featured as the “Book of the Month”, and the article states, “This is a great selection for young children, with outstanding illustrations of sea life throughout the paperback book.” So far, seven aquariums have ordered “SEA HORSE, RUN!” for their gift shops.

A random google search produced an unexpected review in December 2011. Rob Schupbach’s blog entitled,  “Raven, Writing Desk, and Children’s Literature: A Children’s Literature Review Blog,” featured “SEA HORSE, RUN!” on December 18th. I love his description of the book:

“Although the book is quite informative, it is also entertaining. After hearing rumors about a dragon, the animals of the ocean were frightened and began to find safe havens. Not Sea Horse. He had the courage to stay behind and protect his friend, coral, who cannot move. Sea horse confronts the danger and faces his fears. He soon realizes that the sea dragon and the sea horse are distantly related. This underlying message of courage in the face of danger and standing by a friend can be very powerful to young students.”

Last but not least, “SEA HORSE, RUN!” is the second place winner in the  “Children – Early Reader (6 to 8)” category of the 2011 Reader Views Literary Awards. Winners were announced March 7, 2012, and all winners are given a gold “2012″ logo to place on their website or on the cover of their book. Read my full article/press release at www.seahorserun.com or visit my awards page for complete list of awards so far.

All the extra attention for “SEA HORSE, RUN!” is paying off. The hardcovers are virtually sold out, so the book is currently being reprinted. Here is a peek at the new cover:

New Cover Designed April 2012 for 2nd Printing.

Go, Sea Horse, go!