Love these schools!

Still thinking about what a great visit I had to Ponte Vedra and Clay County, FL last week.
I'll share my pictures of some truly fun schools. Even when you have just a brief time to stay, it's amazing what talented and committed media specialists can make happen!

My first stop was pretty special. 

A very long time ago, I was a brand new librarian at a new school in Orange Park, Florida. The facility was state of the art. The principal was innovative. Open space, year-round school, LRC (we called the library the Learning Resource Center then!) at the middle of everything.
I had a lot to learn, but I loved working there.

 I got to sign the library's books right above the stamp I remembered using way back when!

 Going back to S. Bryan Jennings Elementary truly felt like I'd stepped back in time.

Thank you, Susan Ford-Hudson, for inviting me.

Next stop was the Charles E. Bennett Elementary School in Green Cove Springs, Florida.
When I first communicated with the media specialist there, I knew I'd like her.
Her email signature says a lot.

"Once you learn to read, you will be forever free."  

(Frederick Douglas)

The former principal, Evelyn Chastain, came to meet me. She'd loved Glory Be so much, last year during Literacy Week, they'd decorated her door in honor of my book!

The media specialist, Janie Lloyd, arranged for her Morning News Team to interview me!

SO much fun!

THE NEXT DAY I got to spend time with some super students at PV/PV Rawlings School in Ponte Vedra, Florida. A truly memorable school visit. So many great questions from those readers!
Thank you to Kathleen Furness, one of the best principal's I've ever met-- and I've met quite a few!-- for buying books for her students, for introducing me with such aplomb, for reading my book herself! The teacher, Melanie Wall, the librarian, Vance Edeker- and all those smart readers. Wow. What a day.


I made two presentations to groups of kids who had read books on Florida's SUNSHINE STATE READERS list. Here I am sharing my inspiration for writing Glory Be.
(That's my Junk Poker box on the screen!)

The school bought several copies of THE WAY TO STAY IN DESTINY for the classrooms, the library, AND they gave them to a few lucky winners.

Can you tell I'm delighted to chat with these bright kids?

Oh, and the moms treated Ms. Wall's class to this for lunch! 

 Cake! 

Among other delish things.

 A baseball and a piano for Theo. Be still my heart.