Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Traveling through Missouri and Arkansas

I'm visiting schools and libraries in Missouri and Arkansas.  It's a fabulous time with kids, educators,  parents, and other writers.

The students at Branson Elementary East helped keep me on my toes yesterday.  (Yes, over a week of presentations and writing "funshops" can be wearing too.)  One student told me, as she left the assembly, that I'd been  saying "non-fiction" when I meant "fiction".  Thank you.  These kids are SO smart!  They also wondered why I called my character in Roar of a Snore Maggie instead of Molly on my March post to them.  So sorry.  I meant Molly Olsen.  Where did Maggie come from?  Maybe I was thinking of another story I'm currently working on - Maggie and The Halloween Monsters.


Thank you, Branson Elementary East students, for helping to keep me on my toes and for being so patient when I was sipping tea and coughdrops in an effort not to loose my voice.  As Lily would say, "You are MOOvelous."
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Sunday, March 13, 2011

The Lamb Who Loves Libraries

I am starting a new tradition here at Storymagician.  Because of some school policies, I can't always share photos of the beautiful students I meet on my author visits.  But my puppet, THE LAMB WHO LOVES LIBRARIES always travels with me.  So starting with the fabulous Pleasant Valley Elementary in Novato, CA, I will be posting pictures of Lamb in the school library or maybe Lamb and myself or maybe both after each school visit. At least, that's my plan.  So, ta-dah, here is are the first photos to begin the new tradition.

The Lamb Who Loves Libraries at
Pleasant Valley Library, Novato, CA
Marsha with The Lamb Who Loves Libraries

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Thank you Pleasant Valley Elementary

I had the most delightful day with the students and educators at Pleasant Valley Elementary last Friday. They even brought out the good china dishes for our luncheon. Thank you!

And here is what a traveling author loves to see as she/he pulls into a busy school parking lot. Thank you again!


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Wednesday, March 9, 2011

An activity for my Missouri friends

I'll be visiting your school soon, Missouri friends.  If you'd like to do some storytelling before I arrive, here's a suggestion.  Have you read ROAR OF A SNORE?  How would you like to write ROAR OF A SNORE 2?

All stories have a main character.  In ROAR OF A SNORE, the main character is Jack.
All stories have a setting or a place where they happen.  In ROAR OF A SNORE, the setting is the farmhouse and the barn.
All stories have a problem or a plot.  In ROAR OF A SNORE, the problem is that Jack can't sleep because of the loud snore.

For  ROAR OF A SNORE 2, I'd like you to use Molly Olsen, the girl at the end, as your main character.
Molly will have the same problem as Jack.  She’ll be awakened by a very loud snore.
But I want you to make the setting different.  Instead of a farmhouse and barn, think of a really unusual place, or a far away place, or an imaginary place.  Think of a place where there might be really funny snores or scary snores.  Maybe the jungle.  Maybe a haunted house.  Use your imagination and have fun.



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