ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS The following authors will be presenting at various Missoula elementary schools Friday morning and afternoon.
Toni Marie LaGree: This children’s book author and illustrator will lead a hands-on voyage of discovering the power of visual images for learning and memory recall. After a look at Toni’s most recent book and its creative process, she will guide children to make their own memorable image.
Simon Arizpe: Students will learn the basic techniques of pop-up book making while playing with paper in this fun, hands-on workshop.
Annette Bay Pimental: History Detectives (ages 8-12) In this interactive workshop, children will examine old photographs of the American West for clues to the past. We'll explore how old photos and other historical artifacts can help solve mysteries and enliven writing.
Mountain Chef Storytime (ages 4-7) Through historic photos, acting out, and book illustrations, children will compare their own experiences camping to camping in 1915. They will meet Tie Sing, a remarkable and resilient Chinese American trail cook. This interactive storytime will end with a simple fortune cookie art project.
MIDDLE and HIGH SCHOOLS The following authors will be presenting in classes at various Missoula middle and high schools Friday morning and afternoon.
Kent Davis: The author of the critically acclaimed A Riddle in Ruby series will lead a high-energy, interactive presentation roaming from the creative process to his new book to seedlings for sparking your own imagination
Janet Fox: From Castles to Kraken: World-building in Fantasy. History and fantasy collide in Janet's most recent middle grade novel, THE CHARMED CHILDREN OF ROOKSKILL CASTLE. But how do authors build complex worlds in their novels, especially in fantasy? Janet will deliver a talk about building those worlds and about creative visioning that will inspire your students to read and write.
Jake Halpern: How Fact Inspires Fiction: New Yorker magazine contributor Jake Halpern tells how his adventures—from sailing the Amazon to hiking in the Himalayas—inspire his fantasy novels, where monsters lurk in the dark and the dead come back to life.
Maile Meloy: Maile will talk about writing, illustration, and her award-winning Apothecary book series, set during the Cold War, in which kids navigate international intrigue with the help of an apothecary's magic.
Melissa Clark: In this graphic novel memoir workshop, participants will be able to mine their own lives for inspiration and find a unique way of telling their own stories. Watch your story come to life, panel by panel, frame by frame in this dynamic and creative workshop.
Melissa will discuss her creative process and reveals tips and tricks for catching your own stories.
Guy Pace: Guy L. Pace will read briefly from his first novel, Sudden Mission, and talk about how it came about, why he used the characters and places in the novel. He will also challenge the students with a small exercise for building characters to help get the creative juices flowing.
