Ann Martin Bowler (center), with PaperTigers Community Outreach Coordinator, Theresa Gee and Freeport Elementary Principal, Dr. Herbert Walls.
Great stories, fantastic instruments, cool slides... so much fun!
Singing along
to Annie's songs...
What a lively, memorable day!
More images coming soon...
|
 |
Introduced by PaperTigers, children's book author and former teacher Ann Martin Bowler (or Annie to her friends) visited Freeport Elementary School in Sacramento, California to present lively, interactive readings of two of her books, Adventures of the Treasure Fleet: China Discovers the World and Gecko's Complaint: A Balinese Folktale. Each reading was brought to life with the use of special props and participation by students and teachers, and ended with a sing-along to Annie's songs written especially for the stories.
In Adventures of the Treasure Fleet, 4th through 6th grade students were introduced to instruments from faraway places such as Champa, Java and Malindi. Students participated in the lively reading by playing their instrument with each mention of its country, while other students produced sound effects of turbulent, thunder-laden storms and swords at battle. The Emperor of China was read by PT Outreach Coordinator Theresa Gee, along with her brother Vince, reading the part of the Admiral Zheng Hu. Both Theresa and Vince were students at Freeport in the 1960s and '70s.
In the reading of Gecko's Complaint, kindergartners through 3rd graders participated with instruments representing the many critters in the tale, such as the gecko, the woodpecker and the water buffalo.
Students from grades 3 through 6 were also treated to a variety of workshops: using her books as examples, Annie shared drafts and illustrations. She talked about how books are created (from concept to final product), research methods, and her deep connection to the Pacific Rim through two of her five children, who were adopted from Korea, and her son's family, living in Indonesia.
Throughout the day's engaging presentations, Annie encouraged and inspired young students to travel and explore new worlds by simply reading a book: in their own school library, at home or anywhere!
Read the students' words about Ann's presentation: what they've liked and what they've learned... and find out
what other cultures these children want to learn more about.
.....................................................
More on PaperTigers:
Interview with the author
Review of Adventures of the Treasure Fleet: China Discovers the World
More on the web:
Author's website
Author's blog
Ann Martin Bowler is currently serving as Ambassador for Room to Read, and is donating her 2007-08 school year speaking fees to the organization, with the goal of building a school in Vietnam. To find out more about how you can support her and Room to Read's efforts, read World Change Starts With Educated Children.
|
|
sign up for our 
