Bette Greene author visit

[Suby Wallace <swallace@NETTLETON.CRSC.K12.AR.US>]

We just had a wonderful experience at our school yesterday that I wanted to
share with you all.  Bette Greene, the author of _Summer of My German
Soldier_ and _Philip Hall Likes Me, I Reckon, Maybe_, among other titles,
visited our school.  She was coming to the area already, and the Arkansas
State University professor who was bringing her here literally hounded me
until I came up with enough money to have her in an assembly.  We would have
liked her for classroom visits, or smaller groups, but couldn't afford it on
short notice.

I had heard her YEARS ago in Memphis, shortly after _Summer_ came out,
speaking to an adult audience and remembered her as being pretty dry.  I got
on LM_NET and asked if anyone had had her, and someone responded that they
had, and that she was low-key and not that dynamic a speaker, but that they
liked her ok.

She had requested that she prefers to speak only to kids who've read her
books, so, I bought copies of _Philip Hall_ in paperback for each classroom,
and the teachers read it to the kids.  Before the assembly, we had each
class come up with several questions to ask her, so we wouldn't be asking
things like, "Do you have a dog," etc.

Well, we pretty well pumped the kids up before she came, and they responded
to her in such a wonderfully enthusiastic way.  And, the neat thing was, she
responded to their energy in such a great way.  She was so much FUN!  She
called kids down and asked THEM questions about her book and the characters.
She answered all their questions, and after an hour, and lunch was already
late, we had to quit, but there were kids who would have stayed all day.
She was just superb!

Before our assembly, I went to pick her up at our Jr Hi, where she was
speaking to 7-10th grades.  Only the advanced English classes in 9th and
10th grades had read her book (when they were in the 8th grade) and that
meant about 60 out of 650 kids had even heard of her!  They were noisy, and
she had to tell them to be quiet several times.  Yet when she was here, our
350 5-6 graders were hanging on her every word!  She also went to my
daughter's 6th grade center in another district, and I don't think was
nearly as successful because the kids were not familiar with her books.

I am telling you this for three reasons:  one, I just LOVE Bette Greene, and
would encourage you to have her as a speaker if she's ever in your area.

Two, prepare your kids whenever you have someone like this coming!  Our kids
are still talking about it.  They will remember her visit, and are chomping
at the bit for the paperback duplicates of her books that I've got on order.
They can't wait to read her other books!  But, they would not have related
to her in such an enthusiastic way if we had not prepared them first.  How
many times does someone present an assembly, and it flops because the kids
don't really have any reference point from which to appreciate the
performer/presenter?  Have respect for the feelings of the presenter, and
set your kids up to make them feel welcome.  And, so the kids will know what
they are talking about!!

Three, always remember what those of us who are storytellers know:  your
audience can make or break your performance.  When I visit a school to tell
stories, if the teachers are there, acting interested instead of talking to
each other, or reading a book or something, if the kids have been taught
"assembly behavior", if they have been prepared for the assembly and for the
performer, it can make all the difference in the world.

When she was through, the kids cheered, clapped, stood up, stomped their
feet, and you should have seen her reaction!  She just beamed.  I learned
that, no matter how famous or successful, you still need to be loved and
shown appreciation for what you do.  I know that she left our school feeling
like she had done something wonderful for our kids, and we know we also did
something wonderful for her!

I am new at school librarianship, and I am now inspired to find more authors
to bring to our school!!  Anyone had anyone interesting to 5-6 grades that
you'd highly recommend?  It would be nice if they also appeal to young
adults, as the professor I worked with teaches Young Adult Literature.

Thanks!
           Suby Wallace
           Library/Media Center
           Nettleton Intermediate Center
                 (5-6 grades)
           3801 Vera
           Jonesboro, AR 72401

           501-932-5650
           e-mail:
           swallace@nic.crsc.k12.ar.us
              or
           swallace @nettleton.crsc.k12.ar.us