Words on Words: Making a difference with Cynthia Lord

Few authors make as much of a difference in their communities as acclaimed Maine Children’s author Cynthia Lord. Aside from being a wonderful writer and the recipient of many notable awards, including the Newbery Honor Medal for her first book, Rules, Cynthia is also one of the hardest working, most professional writers I know.

Cynthia does many full day school visits around the country, and she provides well developed, interactive programming both in the classroom, and in auditorium for them. These visits are part of her professional life, and have a business side to them of course, but Cynthia is more than just a total pro, she cares deeply about young readers and, recognizing that there are rural districts in Maine which lack the resources to bring her in for a full day of school visits she has worked with me on special occasions, volunteering her time to bring a dynamic experience to area children that would never be able to experience it otherwise.

Take Oct. 16 for example. Cynthia did a whirlwind tour with me of Jay Elementary School and Livermore Falls Elementary School, doing two presentations in each school, one for kindergarten to second grade and one for third to fifth. This is made possible by the broad age range of her work. She has a delightful picture book series featuring Hot Rod Hamster, along with a Hot Rod Hamster I Can Read book, a charming new chapter book series called The Shelter Pet Squad, to go along with her three terrific middle grade novels, Rules, Touch Blue, and Half A Chance.

Getting the books out for sale. Myself, that is, some of Cindy’s books, and her alter ego, The Lord coffee mug.

Cynthia in the act  of demonstrating her surprising and remarkable superpower while I go over the pre-order checklist to make sure everyone got their books..

In short these four presentations were absolutely electrifying with a whole auditorium full of kids with their arms raised to answer questions and give their input from start to finish, from the K-2 Set helping Hot Rod Hamster choose his way through race day or having the grade 3-5 students working on developing a story idea and plot structure for a novel whose protagonist is desperate to have a dog but who has the obstacle of an allergic parent standing in the way.

Waiting to have a book signed.

Huzzah!

Personalizing a book that came in from home with a special note from the family for Cynthia.

Awww!

District librarian Cheryl Mills wrote to me afterward. “Thank you so much for bringing Cynthia Lord to our school. Her visit generated LOTS of enthusiasm and excitement. The students fell in love with Cynthia and are still talking about her in conversation!!!! Her books are flying off the library shelves. What a great experience for our kids.”

Before we left for the day special ed teacher Susan Wiles, brought in Scholastic paper back copies of Cynthia’s picture books that she sells to raise funds in an in school bookstore. Susan has been running the bookstore every Friday for the past 8 years. All of the books are $1 and she collects Box Tops in order to continue buying books. The students in her classroom help out every Friday by picking up students in the other classrooms, stocking shelves, cashier, and setting up/taking down the books. Cynthia graciously signed all the copies of her book that the bookstore had and then ran out to her car to donate copies of the Hot Rod Hamster picture books Susan didn’t have!

Superpowers indeed!