AUTHORS IN OUR SCHOOLS
At the RIF NOVA Golden Gala in October 2022, best-selling author David Baldacci and his wife Michelle Baldacci made a generous gift to support RIF of NOVA. The gift has been designated toward a multi-year plan to bring authors and illustrators and their books to several RIF NOVA participating schools. When students meet authors and illustrators, they are excited and inspired to see themselves as creators, too!
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Literacy is Magical -- Author Erin Stewart
With her latest book literally "hot off the press," author Erin Steward met with fifth graders from Randolph Elementary School on January 23, 2025. The Forgotten Magic of Zoey Turner
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Read! Write! Believe! -- Author Gabriella Aldeman
Author Gabriella Aldeman introduced herself as Ms. Gaby to students at two RIF NOVA-supported schools in November and December 2024 as part of the Authors in Our Schools program. The children were abuzz with curiosity at each of the sessions, wanting to know everything from why she became an author (her mother first suggested it when she was 15), to where she gets her ideas (brainstorming about what you know), to how she comes up with titles (it has to be catchy and memorable!). One student was heard to say after one of the sessions, "I can't wait to tell my mom about this!"
The author met with first and fifth graders at Crestwood Elementary School on November 18, and what a meet-and-greet it was! The author's book -- Paula's Patches -- engaged both the younger and older children with great ideas about how to write a children's story, how to get it published, and how the children could become authors themselves -- even though, as she noted, "It's very hard work!"
First, the bilingual author told the children, you have to read -- a lot! You have to write -- a lot! The most important ingredient, she said, is that, "You have to believe you can be an author!" Belief in herself is what propelled her to become an author. |
Gabriella Aldeman showed the children the diary her grandmother had given her at age seven as she was growing up in Panama. She said books are built from your imagination, brainstorming, and from ideas "you can connect with." In Paula's Patches, Paula gets a hole in her pants. How does she handle it? What does she learn? In this story, the author's idea about using patches to recycle, reuse, and repurpose was part of the solution and a central part of the story. To underscore this message, she showed the children the backpack she had made of recycled blue jeans.
The children were all ears and all smiles as they each received and dove into their autographed copy of Paula's Patches. Several said they kept diaries and wanted to become writers and tell their stories, too!
Encore, Ms. Gaby!
Second and third graders at Marumsco Hills Elementary met Ms. Gaby on December 13 and were introduced to her second book, Squawk of Spanish, and its Spanish version, Un Graznido en Español. Inspired by her son Roy, the book features a boy named Max who has trouble communicating with his Spanish-speaking abuela (grandmother). When they bake together, a parrot named Lorita helps to translate.
When Lorito disappears for a day, Max and Abuela must figure out how to communicate. Together, they learn that Max's Spanish doesn’t have to be perfect, and Abuela can attempt a little English, too. Trying is what counts! |
As the author read the story to the assembled classes, she asked them to say some of the words from the book in Spanish, which they very enthusiastically did. They were full of questions, too. Each child was gifted with an autographed copy of Squawk, thanks to the RIF NOVA Authors in Our Schools program. To learn more about Gabriella Aldeman, check out her website by clicking here.
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"You don't know how much it means to us!" -- Author Fred Bowen
Sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students in the Patrick Henry K-8 School's Avid* Program got a hands-on lesson from author Fred Bowen on October 18, 2024 as he explained the "messy" process of writing books. A former lawyer and columnist for the KidsPost of the Washington Post, author Bowen has written more than two dozen books about sports. The middle schoolers engaged in a lively Q&A as he showed his idea notebook and made a step by step list of how he does his work. After each session, the students were able to choose an autographed book about football, soccer, baseball, or basketball and wrote many cards expressing their gratitude for the experience with notes like: "You don't know how much it means to us."
(*The Advancement Via Individual Determination, AVID, program is an academic support program that helps students in grades 6-12 prepare for college and careers.) |
To learn more about Fred Bowen, check out his story in our Celebrating Local Authors Series by clicking here.
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Also, check out his website at https://www.fredbowen.com/index.htm.
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Super You! -- Author Hena Khan
Season two of RIF NOVA's Authors in our Schools program had a super launch -- Super YOU! to be exact! On October 16, 2024, author Hena Khan presented to fourth graders at Alexandria's Polk Elementary School. The children were all ears as author Khan shared her growing-up story as a Pakistani-American Muslim who read a lot of books but never saw herself in them. She said, "I never had a mirror book where the characters looked like me." She has helped to change that! Now an award-winning author of more than 30 books, she has focused on picture books, middle grade fiction, and graphic novels that are often centered around her culture, community, and family.
At the October 16th event, Hena Khan talked about her series of pick-your-path adventures where the reader can pick from among several choices to move the story along. She told the assembled children that her friend from second grade -- and Super You! co-author Andrea Menotti -- had encouraged her to start writing. "Ignore that voice in your head that says you can't do it!" she told the children. "I still have it even with more than two dozen books!" You have the power to tell your story. Include the parts of your life that are special and unique. Share your life!"
The children listened eagerly as Hena Khan shared words of advice about writing, particularly noting that, "Reading is the best way to become a better writer without even trying!" When she asked her audience to suggest additional superpowers for the Super You! series, hands went up across the room with ideas like shape shifting, telekinesis, laser eyes, and teleportation. "All great!" exclaimed the author. At the end of the event, each student received an autographed copy of Super You! Power of Flight. For more about Hena Khan, visit her website by clicking here.
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"The Yellow Áo Dài" -- Author Hanh Bui
On April 11, 2024, a small group of Crestwood Elementary School (Fairfax County) third graders had lunch with author Hanh Bui. When asked if anyone wanted to write a story, one boy said yes but he didn't know what to write about. Once author Bui finished reading her hot-off-the press second book, Anh's New Word, the boy said he finally had an idea. "I'm going to write a story about meeting my first author!"
To a packed library of first graders followed by a second session with second graders, Hanh Bui read her first book, The Yellow Áo Dài. To explain her debut work celebrating family ties and her Vietnamese heritage, author Bui taught the children some hand motions to make every time they heard the word áo dài or lotus or fan. After the reading, she engaged them in a story sequencing game using small fans and asked them to share a story with their neighbor. A few class members spoke Vietnamese, and they helped teach the class how to count to 10 in the Vietnamese language.
And, of course, no author visit would be complete without a signed copy of the author's book, funded by David Baldacci and provided by RIF of NOVA. Hanh Bui signed each and every one with the words, "Go Owls," celebrating the school's mascot. Special thanks to Crestwood librarian Vicki Spino for arranging such an amazing author visit. As the children left the library with their books, one child was heard to say, "This was a 10!" More about the author and her story can be found by clicking here.
Hanh Bui -- Take Two!
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Hanh Bui read her book during a second RIF of NOVA author appearance...this time at Hutchison Elementary School (also Fairfax County) on April 23, 2024. From the welcome sign outside the school to a final thank you card, the second-grade excitement was over the top, thanks to librarian and NOVA RIF liaison Marci Hoyt. At a lunch bunch small group session, the children were prepared with questions for the author: "How do you make the scene feel real with a lot of detail?" and "How do you know what words to use?" A couple of children had already written their own stories and wanted to relate their experiences during the lunch session. They also wanted to share some of the languages they know by counting to ten in Spanish, Vietnamese, French, and more! And they all wanted to share in a hug!
The excitement was equally palpable in the library. After Hanh Bui read The Yellow Áo Dài, children participated in a sequencing game based on the book and shared their own family tradition stories with a neighbor. When they discovered they were each getting an autographed -- and personalized -- copy of Mrs. Bui's book, a collective "Yayyyyyy" went up in the room. One child couldn't wait to get out the door to start reading! Exclaimed another child, "I'm going to read your book every day!" Along with the children's expressions of thanks, librarian Marcy Hoyt prepared a special video from the school to capture the day. Click here for that!
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"Everyone, Just Like Me" -- Author Carylee Carrington
When Carylee Carrington's then five-year-old son came home from school one day, he had something important to tell his mom: his classmates said he should play only with children of the same skin color. So this mom went into action...and wrote a book!!! Everyone, Just Like Me is about a boy named Joshua who has to get glasses. In wanting not to be different due to his new eyewear, the boy wishes for everyone to be the same. When hilarity and confusion ensue, Joshua discovers there may be a problem with his request. Ms. Carrington's book encourages kids to embrace their uniqueness and realize that individual differences are what make each person special.
That was the theme of author Carrington's presentation to students at Prince William County's Potomac View Elementary School on February 22, 2024 -- as part of the NOVA RIF Authors in Our Schools program. The self-described "Tutu Queen of Northern Virginia" received a RIF book as a child. That book, The Three Little Kittens, sparked a lifelong interest in reading -- and now writing -- children's books. She has published three books to date and is a stalwart advocate for diversity in children's literature. Before a crowd of excited 3rd and 4th graders, Carylee Carrington spoke about everyone's uniqueness. As each child left the gym with an autographed book and a bookmark, one child exclaimed, "You are the best in the north, south, east, and west!" NOVA RIF liaison Debbie Crawn noted, "After you left, the conversations about being yourself and befriending everyone were amazing! Thank you for helping to confirm to our students that they are each special, and different, and truly amazing!!!" |
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"Freewater" -- Author Amina Luqman-Dawson
In January 2023, Arlington, Virginia author Amina Luqman-Dawson got a call from the American Library Association. Her book Freewater had just won the prestigious Coretta Scott King Award, which recognizes outstanding books for young adults and children by African American authors and illustrators that reflect the African American experience. That same night, she got a second call. The book had also won the John Newbery Medal, given annually to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. Luqman-Dawson is the first woman to win both awards.
Set in the Great Dismal Swamp, Freewater is a middle-grade novel about a secret community of formerly enslaved people. Drew Elementary School librarian and NOVA RIF board member and liaison Dora Sue Black invited the author to her Arlington school on February 8, 2024 and read much of the story to her fifth graders in the days leading up to the library event. During a lively presentation, the kids showed they knew a lot about the story. Each child received an autographed book, gifted via the NOVA RIF Authors in Our Schools program. |
After her presentation describing the more than 10-year process to write and publish Freewater, Ms. Luqman-Dawson invited the children to ask questions. And ask they did! How did you get the idea for your book? Which character do you most relate to? What was your favorite chapter? How did you come up with the title? One child asked, "Why did you write the book when you didn't even know you wanted to be an author?" To that, the author had a message urging the children to stick to their dreams. "You can't wait for someone to tell you. Just try!" And when she answered some questions in Spanish, many of the children were beyond wowed!
Encore, Encore, Amina Luqman-Dawson...