Arkansas Part 4

Day 3 in Bentonville (continued)

Central Park Elementary

Central Park Elementary

 Central Park Elementary made frog traps!! 

Check 'em out.

Thomas Jefferson Elementary

Arkansas Part 3

Day 2 in Bentonville 

Cooper Elementary School

Sugar Creek Elementary

Mary May Jones Elementary School

Day 3 in Bentonville

A nice welcome from Willowbrook Elementary

They made an amazing submarine!

Willowbrook Elementary

They gave me a T-shirt and an elephant (their mascot)!

Arkansas Part 2

My first school day in Bentonville in pictures:

Speaking to grades 2-4 at Apple Glen Elementary School

Speaking to K-1 students at Apple Glen

Thanks for the greeting, Baker!

Speaking to Baker students

Cool submarine, Baker!!

Speaking to homeschoolers at the public library

Bentonville Public Library (Thank you, Sue!)

I am a frog.

Arkansas Part 1

I had the most amazing visit to schools in Bentonville, Arkansas.

They chose The Fantastic Secret of Owen Jester for their One District One Book program.

Since a picture is worth a thousand words, I'll show you my visit in pictures.

My Bentonville BFF, Wendy Hannah, was my go-to gal. She drove me around, planned, worked, scheduled, etc, etc. etc. I owe a major THANK YOU to Wendy for making my time there amazing.

The lovely town square of Bentonville

The first Walmart!

In front of the awesome 21c Hotel

I walked the beautiful trail to the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art

The architecture is beautiful

Such a lovely museum

One District One Book Event

Talk about a community coming together for an event!

To wrap up the city-wide One District One Book program for The Fantastic Secret of Owen Jester, the beautiful Crystal Bridges Museum hosted a party for students and their families. 

The day was filled with art and science related activities and games inspired by my book.

Photos courtesy of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.

Photography by Marc F. Henning 

Things I Love Thursday

I love getting notes from teachers like this one:

Ms. O'Connor, I'm a 3rd grade teacher at __ School in Irving, Texas. This past Thursday I finished reading How to Steal a Dog to my class. I loved it and have been inspired to make a list of my own…

“How to Know Your Students Love a Book You’ve Read to Them”

1. When they check it out of the library to read it again.
2. When they beg you to keep reading at the end of each chapter.
3. When they keep making connections to it throughout the year. (“Mrs. E, I saw a homeless man and I thought of Mookie!”…)
4. When you hear students call out, “Yes! How to Steal a Dog!” when they see you pick it up.
5. When you  look in their faces and can see their emotions as you read it aloud.
6. When you hear their laughter at the funny parts.
7. When you all feel just a little sad when you read the last words aloud because you didn’t want it to end.

Thank you for a wonderful book!!

So long, y'all

Headed to Arkansas