Re: ?VA Authors

[Sandra Gilbert <sgilbert@TENET.EDU>]

We have a wonderful, very active visiting author program in our district.
The two all-time best ones are Shelley Gill from Alaska and Peter
Catalanotto from Pennsylvania. Shelley's books include The Alaska Mother
Goose; Alaska's Three Bears; Alaska ABC; Thunderfeet-Alaska's dinosaurs;
and Kiana's Iditarod. Shelley completed the 149 mile dog sled race to
research the Iditarod book. She shares the great adventures of her life,
and we all wanted to pack up and go to Alaska when she left! Peter
Catalanotto is a wonderful illustrator and author who is extremely
motivating to the students and leaves a lasting impression on the students
and staff. His books include Dylan's Day Out; Who Came Down That Road;
The Catspring Somersault Flying One-handed Flip-flop; and others. His
newest one is Momma Was a Coal Miner. Shelley can be reached through
Charlesbridge Publishing and costs about $600 a day. Peter is through
Orchard and costs about $1200 a day (and worth every penny.) In our
district, we generally have an author stay a week and visit ten schools
so we can split the transportation and lodging costs.