RI school visits

The Monday after the Kids Reading Across RI event, I also visited a couple of schools in the state. These schools "won" my visit from the KRARI group (these people sure know how to do a program right!).

As I mentioned earlier, I do get a little picky when school ask for my Where the Mountain Meets the Moon presentation. It is all about the background of the book and the things that I changed vs folklore...and it makes a lot more sense if the students have actually read the book. So I really try to emphasize that the book should be read by all if they want me to give this presentation (they are more than welcome to choose another presentation if that is too much of responsibility).

But that was not a worry at all for these schools. ALL the students had read Where the Mountain Meets the Moon and they were incredibly enthusiastic about my visit. They welcomed me with drawings, sculptures and paintings:
.

And even provided their own themed entertainment. There were so many things going on that I almost didn't even have to give my presentation. These girls wrote and performed scenes from the book:

And another student built a mechanized Dragon:

a lego Old Man of the Moon:
and a 6 ft long Never-Ending Mountain (with waterfall) for the two to meet...which they did with panache!

(it might be hard to see, but the dragon shoots/spits out his pearl/marble at the end!)
Pretty neat, huh?

It was a great day and I was so glad to meet these amazing, creative and inspiring RI students!

Kids Reading Across Rhode Island

I was super-duper honored when I was told that Where the Mountain Meets the Moon was chosen as the book for the 2nd annual Kids Reading Across Rhode Island event. It is a one book-one state reading program and it is such a thrill to think so many RI kids will know the book!
So, of course, I was happy and eager to go to the big kick off event at the State House a couple weekends ago. It was a blast, but it was so busy that it went by way too fast! It happened so quickly that most of the day is kind of a blur.



First, there was a lion dance:


Someone told me it was in my honor, which I wasn't sure to believe. But I did get to feed one of the lions with lucky lettuce:


Which they spit onto the audience (always a crowd pleasing trick!):

I want to get these guys for my next book launch! Think that's too much for a bookstore?

Then I gave a talk:

to a lot of people in a really fancy room:

And then I signed books for a long, long time:

The Kids Reading Across Rhode Island program was giving away a copy of Where the Mountain Meets the Moon to every family for FREE! That explains the long line:

I felt like a rock star! Too bad I can't give away my books for free more often!

Thanks so much, Kids Reading Across Rhode Island!!!