Benjamin Logan Elementary School pupils were treated Thursday to special assemblies, where they had the chance to watch books they had been reading come to life through animated presentations from two authors who share a very close connection.
FRONT PAGE SLIDE SHOW PHOTO: Benjamin Logan Elementary School student Bryleigh Burnside, center, plays the role of “The Little Red Pen” during an author visit assembly Thursday while her classmates react. The character is from a book with the same title written by Susan Stevens Crummel, pictured at the far right, and her sister, Janet Stevens, (ABOVE PHOTO) who is an author and illustrator from Colorado who drew a bear with pastels based on descriptions provided by students. She and her sister signed the bear picture for the school to keep. (EXAMINER PHOTOS | MANDY LOEHR) |
Sisters Janet Stevens of Colorado and Susan Stevens-Crummel of Texas have written 11 children’s books together, including Cook-A-Doodle-Do!, The Great Fuzz Frenzy and The Little Red Pen, and have been awarded New York Times Best Seller and ALA Notable Book awards.
Also an illustrator, Ms. Stevens’ first book was published in 1979, and she has nearly 70 books to her name. She has received numerous other awards, including a Caldecott Honor Award, Time Magazine’s Ten Best Children’s Books, the Wanda Gag Best Read-Aloud Book and Child Magazine’s Best Books of the Year.
Then about 18 years ago, her sister started her writing career while she was teaching math at Fort Worth Country Day School. She has since retired from teaching after 31 years.
The pair said they want to inspire youngsters to get excited about reading, writing stories and illustrating. When students in grades K-4 entered the gymnasium for each of the assemblies, they were greeted by a sign that read, “Welcome authors and illustrators,” which they soon would learn was directed at them.
“We need you; we’re getting kind of old,” Ms. Stevens-Crummel said to the students.
“We need you to write and illustrate the books of the future,” her sister chimed in.
Read complete story in Friday’s Examiner.
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