Shennen Bersani's Weblog

Saturday's March into Reading!

I received this email yesterday - but I wanted to check with Gretchen first to make sure she didn't mind my sharing it online:

Dear Ms. Bersani,

After attending today's "March into Reading" event, I just have to thank you for all you did to make your presentation so special!

I sat in on two previous talks, and, while they were nice, yours was extraordinary! Specifically, you really engaged the children (and adults!) with your "movie" and narration. Though I had to leave early (my husband picked me up at 11 - bummer), I was SO fascinated with the process you use to create....How fortunate those children were to hear you in their schools on Friday, too! I hope your publisher knows how well you promote your work.

As an unpublished (sob) children's writer, I look to events like today's for inspiration. In addition, I imagine how I might give talks in that faraway someday when a publisher decides to take a chance on me....and, after today, I am wholly convinced that the ideal large-group presentation is like yours.

Thank you for all you did to inspire creativity (I definitely feel like drawing an apple!) and for serving the world with your words and your art.

Gratefully,

Gretchen Everin

Gretchen is referring to the presentation that I gave at Salve Regina University in Newport RI. I had a delightful time presenting and later signing books! I made some wonderful new friends over the weekend, most especially librarian Stacey Lyon, and some very special old friends showed up as well - Melodie came up from New York and Hayley came down from Harvard University! I spent the entire day and evening doing "Newport" activities and loving every minute of it! I look forward to returning. Thanks to all of you!

March Into Reading!

Today I had a delightful time participating in March Into Reading! on the island of Aquidneck RI. There were seven authors and illustrators involved in the presentations; other than myself there was Mary Jane Begin, David Biedrzycki, Laura Gates Galvin, David Macaulay, Amy MacDonald, and Barbara McGrath.

Aquidneck is an island with three towns on it, Portsmouth, Middletown, and Newport. We each visited three schools.

The first school I visited was the Howard Hathaway School in Portsmouth. A wonderful school where you can see the ocean from the parking lot! There I met up with my librarian chaperone, Stacey Lyon. What a fabulous, fabulous person Stacey is! I gave my presentation to the children at the Hathaway School and then Stacey drove me to my second school, The Bradley School in Portsmouth. These children were terrific - they went overboard with their compliments to me! Thank you so very much guys!

From The Bradley School Stacey drove us to a luncheon at the Forest Hill School in Middletown. Here I met up with the other visiting authors/illustrators. This was also fabulous.

We completed our afternoon by going to the school Stacey is a librarian in, The Coggeshall Elementary in Newport. This is the second oldest school in the country! And what terrific kids go there! They had a really warm welcome for me and Principal Breault gave me a framed certificate of appreciation!

Tomorrow I return to Newport to give a presentation at Salve Regina University, which will be followed by a book signing. I'm really looking forward to it!

A special thanks to the ACE March Into Reading! committee for asking me to participate. I'm loving every minute of it.

A visit to the Strafford School

Yesterday I had the pleasure to visit the Strafford School in Strafford New Hampshire. This was my second year to visit with them and I'm so excited to be asked to return again next year! I did presentations for K-4 and I was so impressed when the fourth graders figured out how to make a whale shark fit into their library! Great going guys! Thanks so much for having me!

This is a lovely painting on wood that they sent to me after last year's visit!