“I’ve wanted to be an author my whole life.” That’s what a young 6th grade boy said to me last week when I visited James Monroe Elementary. “You’re an inspiration to me. Thank you for visiting our school.” He made my heart melt. It’s moments like this that are just priceless and make me love what I do. School visits are definitely one of the highlights of book promotion.
James Monroe Elementary is small school in Santa Rosa, CA. I was fortunate enough to have the library for my presentation. The school library is beautiful — tons of books and an impressive computer lab to boot. There’s even a cozy reading corner set up with a cushy chair. The library tech was kind enough to let me use her space and her furniture for my presentation.
Camille Picott preparing for her presentation at James Monroe Elementary School
My first presentation was for the 5th graders. I talked about comic books, graphic novels, and illustrated novels, and the similarities and differences between them. The second presentation was for the 6th graders. We talked about Chinese Mythology.
Camille Picott presenting a lesson on Chinese Mythology to students at James Monroe Elementary
The students had a wonderful curiosity. They asked a lot of questions about my book and writing. Some of them were curious about me: Am I married, do I have children, what do I do on the weekend, etc.
I ask questions during the presentation to help the kids focus on the lesson. When a student answers a question correctly, I give him or her a Raggedy Chan bookmark. After the presentation, the students asked me to autograph the bookmarks. A few girls also asked me to sign their hands. One wanted me to sign her sweatshirt (with a permanent marker!). Thank goodness the librarian was nearby and supplied paper instead. I really enjoyed myself and look forward to my next school presentation.
Camille autographing Raggedy Chan bookmarks for students
*You’ll notice that I purposely only post pictures where you cannot clearly see the faces of the children. This is to protect the privacy of the students.*
