This week I visited Oak Hill Montessori School and shared Boundary Waters ABC with students ages three through third grade. I’m sure different authors have different opinions about school visits, but I have to say that my favorite part of being a writer is sharing my book with children. They are always excited and curious. Their questions are fun and frequently catch me by surprise. For example, I asked the question, “If people don’t live in the Boundary Waters, who does live there?” I received the typical answers of bears, loons, deer, and alligators. But one girl said, “Penguins.” I’ve shared this book with thousands of children in the last five years but this is the first time I have heard anyone make this guess.
Another reason that I enjoy my author visits to schools is the feeling of being a celebrity for a day. If I see a group of students in the hallway that I have already presented to, often they say, “It’s the author! You came to my class.” It is always a nice feeling to be recognized and greeted with awe.
Often when I interact with kids during author visits I get ideas for writing future books. One time I met a little girl who prefaced everything she said with the phrase, “Guess what?” That may pop up in a future book sometime.
School visits can be fun and memorable. Interacting with the students and teachers is enjoyable. Seeing the excitement and the spark of curiosity for the topic at hand is very rewarding.
Wes Erwin 