Book Notes

I attended the Tennessee Association of School Librarians’ conference last weekend in Franklin, Tennessee.  It was a very good conference.  Deborah Wiles who had visited out school in the spring of 2007 was there.  I attended two of her sessions, and she was delightful.  I also got to meet Marcia Thornton Jones, author of the Bailey School Kids and Ghostville Elementary.  I hope to secure her as our visiting author for the spring of 2009.  Also on hand was Mary Downing Hahn whose book The Old Willis Place won the 2007 Volunteer State Book Award for the intermediate grades.  Scholastic Books sponsored her appearance and provided free personally autographed copies of that book.

Listening to authors speak about the creative process of writing is always inspirational. What I find most interesting is that every author I’ve heard speak talks about how important it is to keep a private journal of thoughts and ideas.  Also, they write almost every day even if it is just to jot down an idea.  I’ve always known writing was hard work, but children don’t realize that.  These authors may struggle for years to bring a book to completion.  Even a picture book takes time to construct so that every word serves a purpose.  My admiration for their abilities only grows with each author I am privileged to meet.

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