Today I flew up to visit Anna Elementary—home of the Rockets! It was my very first school in Ohio—Anna, OH, to be precise. I was fortunate enough to be a part of their LEGO-themed Right to Read Week. Check out their cool display at the main entrance!
I signed a ton of books during my visit, and the kids seemed anxious to get them. But today was a special treat for me since most of the Rockets wore their Halloween costumes—even the teachers! Needless to say, I had more fun than usual during my three presentations. Heck, if I had known, I would’ve worn my Batman costume!
Thanks to Mrs. Boerger for inviting me. Thanks to Mr. Holtzapple for all the help. Thanks to Mr. Duncan for the use of the gym. Thanks to Mrs. Boerger, Mrs. Webker, and Mrs. Borchers for taking pictures. And the biggest thanks of all to each and every one of the Anna Rockets! I hope you enjoy my books. But don’t stop there. Get to your library and read as many books as you can!
Today I got to spend the day with the great kids at Oak Hill Academy in Dallas, TX for their Literacy Live event! It’s a good thing I wore one of my dragon shirts since their mascot is a dragon—and boy could they roar!
I enjoyed two presentations in their cool, nautical-themed library (hence the boat in the middle of the room with the dragon masthead) and I saw that my books were on display in the pirate treasure box!
My books weren’t the only ones on display! I got to look over the middle schooler’s books on display in the front entrance. Oak Hill Academy is full of young authors!
I had a tour of the school and then gave a final performance to all the middle and high schoolers. Everyone had great questions and it was fun meeting them after the show!
Thanks to Mrs. Wachel for inviting me. Thanks to Mrs. Urban for the gifts and all the help. But most of all, a big thanks goes to all the Oak Hill Dragons themselves. I hope you had as much fun today as I did!
Today I drove historic Route 66 to see the 4th and 5th graders of Nichols Elementary, in Miami, Oklahoma! I was fortunate to perform in the Miami Public Library itself where all the kids were bussed in for three fun-filled shows. They were a bunch of great kids, and this day was a perfect way to start off the new school year!
I enjoyed a group shot with Mrs. Herd’s class.
Of course…the silly version.
During our lunch break, Mrs. Beauchamp took me to Chapters bookstore for an impromptu photoshoot with her special pack rat. This rat has traveled all up and down Route 66 as part of the library’s contribution to Outside the Lines—a weeklong celebration demonstrating the creativity and innovation happening in libraries. I’m holding up his little book for him. See, he’s small so he likes little books…and Dr. Suess.
Thanks to Mrs. Beauchamp for inviting me and setting up the tour at a local landmark, the Coleman Theater. It was a great place and my photography wouldn’t do it justice. You can check it out at: colemantheatre.org. And a big thanks to all the Nichols Elementary 4th and 5th graders. You were a great audience and I had a fun day on my first author visit of the school year!
Today I was fortunate enough to spend the afternoon at the West Irving Public Library, in Irving, TX! I performed in front of an energetic crowd and I even got to meet each and every one of them after the show. I met them when they lined up to have their books autographed. That’s right, the library purchased one of my books for the attendees—LEGO City: Work This Farm! I think I signed around 120 books. What a cool library!
I want to thank Corine Barberena for inviting me. But I especially want to thank all the kids and parents who came out to watch my presentation. It looked as if everyone enjoyed the show, but I hope you also enjoy your copy of my LEGO City book. It just may come in handy when the library hosts its upcoming “Build it with LEGOs” events!
Today I enjoyed a visit to the Vernon Parish Library in Leesville, LA! Their summer reading program was a great success and today all the young readers got to meet one of the authors of some of those books—you know, me! Everyone seemed to enjoy the show, and many had great questions. I thoroughly enjoyed my brief trip to Louisiana!
Thanks to Mrs. Watson for having me and thanks to all of the Leesville readers who came out to visit. Keep reading and see if you can get through even more books next summer!
Today I enjoyed a fun day in Pell City, Alabama, where I was part of the Pell City Public Library’s summer reading program! In the morning, I gave a presentation at the civic center and signed a bunch of books for the visiting kids (and a couple of adults, too). After the show, I enjoyed meeting everyone and posing for pics. As you can see, I didn’t come to Alabama alone—people got to get a shot with me AND my chief of security, Virgil!
That afternoon, I went to the library to give a writing workshop and sign some more books. I hope everyone enjoyed my writing tips and don’t forget to email me if you have any more questions.
Thanks to Kelly Cardenas for inviting me and doing a wonderful job setting everything up. Thanks to Jordan, Amy, and Brennan for helping out. I had a good time talking comics with Brennan—best of luck with your own comic! And a big thanks to all the kids and families who came out to see me (some to both presentations). I was thrilled to return to Alabama and my very first visit to Pell City!
This afternoon I enjoyed my last author visit of the school year (back in my own state) at Askew Elementary in Houston, TX. Home of the Askew All Stars! I don’t know if the kids were more excited about me being there or the fact that they didn’t have any more testing that day. Either way, everyone seemed to have a great time—including me!
I performed two shows for two super-sized crowds in front of the big screen. For me, it was a perfect way to round out the school year!
They also seemed to enjoy my alien impression!
Thanks to Mrs. Polk for inviting me and to the Askew PTO for having me out. Thanks to Mr. Wooten for all the tech support and great introductions. And the biggest thanks of all goes to the Askew All Stars! I hope you have an exciting, restful, ambitious, and adventurous summer. And guess what? You can do all of those things by reading a book or twelve! Happy Summer!
Today I got to visit another two schools in one when I spent the morning with the Riverside Public Schools—both the Spalding and Cedar Rapids campuses! Not only did I enjoy two shows with a bunch of great kids from both schools, I even got a private tour of the older school building in Spalding. I was especially impressed by the gymnasium in the basement. How cool is that?
After a tasty Riverside lunch (plus a quick wardrobe change), the last stop of my brief Nebraska tour was at Central Valley Elementary in Scotia, NE—home of the Cougars! Even though the two groups were larger and I was in the gym this time (this one wasn’t in the basement), I decided to go unplugged, as it were. Hey, if I blow my voice out now, I have the entire drive back to Texas to recover!
Thanks to Mrs. Nordhues and Mrs. Shafer for inviting me. Thanks to Mr. Adams for the tech support. Thanks to all the teachers who were kind enough to take pictures. And the biggest thanks of all to the great kids at Riverside and Central Valley. All combined, you were the great way to end my first trip to Nebraska!
No, I’m not about to sneeze; I’m rockin’ out!
For my first visit to Nebraska I spent time with two schools in one! I visited Shell Creek Elementary in Columbus, NE where kids from Platte Center Elementary (from Platte Center, NE) were bussed in to see my show.
Another first for me was performing my show and then my writing workshop back-to-back for all the 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th graders. Don’t worry; there was a short break in between (I think more for me than the kids). Everyone had insightful questions and first-rate writing prompts!
After lunch, I presented to the Kinder, 1st, and 2nd graders! Another energetic audience, more sharp questions, and good times all around. I hope everyone enjoys my autographed bookmarks, and remember what I said, if you have any more questions just shoot me an email!
Thanks to Mrs. Sempek for inviting me (again, so sorry you couldn’t be here for the day). Thanks to Mr. Schrunk and Mrs. Honold for all the help, kid wrangling, and the sweet gift bag! Thanks to Mr. Briggs for the tech support. And the biggest thanks of all to the fantastic students of both Shell Creek and Platte Center Elementary schools! I hope everyone enjoyed my shows, workshop, and my autographed bookmarks. I was thrilled you could be my very first students in all of Nebraska!
Four years ago, I was the special guest at the Lee’s Summit School District Young Author Conference. Today I was back in the district for the same thing but first…a visit to Trailridge Elementary in Lee’s Summit, MO—home of the Timberwolves!
I had an exciting time during both of my presentations and enjoyed meeting Trailridge’s winning authors and illustrators from the 4th, 5th, and 6th grade. Congratulations Abbi, Ellie, Grant, Harper, Jayden, Kenzie, Miles, Nya, Shanielle, and Sophie!
That evening, I returned for the conference to find the school decorated as a winter wonderland for the theme. After all the district winners and their families arrived (from all over Lee’s Summit’s eighteen elementary schools), I gave a brief performance and was fortunate to congratulate each and every winning author and illustrator. I even signed many of their published collections after the show. Congratulations, everyone!
Thanks to Mrs. Shipman and Mrs. Brown for inviting me. Thanks to Mrs. Kevurn for lunch and all her help. Thanks to Violet and Danica for the Christmas book! Thanks to Mr. Barnes for a very cool Eagle Scout coin, “from one Eagle Scout to another.” Thanks to all the Trailridge staff members for their tons of hard work pulling off a smooth authors conference. And a big thanks to all the Trailridge Timberwolves and the rest of the winning authors and illustrators. I hope that I’ll be asking for your autographs someday!
