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Children's author Patricia Polacco dazzles Klager Elementary students with stories from her book "The Meteor!" during a presentation for National Reading Month March 26.
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After nearly two years in the making, world renowned children's author Patricia Polacco entertained students at Klager Elementary School March 26 as part of National Reading Month.
Polacco, whose best known for the books "The Bee Tree" and "Meteor!" among others, said she enjoys visiting local schools across the country.
"I love going to schools to talk and visit with the kids," she said. "It's not because I'm around my fans, it's more of the enjoyment I get from being around young people."
Because Polacco keeps a very limited tour schedule, Klager Elementary teacher Pat Rohrer said bringing her to Manchester was no easy task.
"We have been waiting for Patricia Polacco for two years. Every year as a part of National Reading Month, I plan an author visit for our school," she said. "As I became more and more familiar with Patricia's work and began using her books to help teach elements of writing to our children, I realized that she would be a wonderful author for our children to experience."
Rohrer said through the generosity of the Klager Elementary Parent-Teacher Organization, the school was able to pay Polacco's booking fee.
"Every year the PTO generously gives us assembly money to fund our author visits," she said.
In preparation for her visit, students in Art teacher Carrie Rush's class decorated rooms and hallways with scenes from their favorite Polacco book.
"These pictures were beautifully drawn," Polacco said. "Manchester was a wonderful place to visit. The children pulled out all the stops and worked really hard in preparation for my visit."
Utilizing messages from several of her books, Polacco captivated Klager students with stories of overcoming adversity.
"Patricia mesmerized our students and staff as well as parents who attended her presentations. The telling of her stories was, as one of our students put it, 'Even better than her books,'" Rohrer said. "The media center was filled to capacity for each of the three presentations, but it felt like we were all sitting around in her living room listening as her stories took us to the places she described."
Polacco said she has always enjoyed telling stories detailing her early childhood and career accomplishments.
"I like telling stories that are particularly close to my heart," she said.
Polacco said one of her favorite books, "Thank you, Mr. Falker," details her life growing up in Lansing before moving to Oakland, Calif. with her family. While in California, Polacco's teachers discovered she suffered from dyslexia - a disease which subsequently prevented her from reading until she was 14 — and helped her express herself through art.
"I am really thankful to my friends and family for encouraging me to continue writing," she said. "As a young person, I would have never believed you if you told me I would be a successful author someday."
Polacco said she didn't start writing until she was 41 years old.
"I started jotting down the various stories that were rolling around in my head, then I was encouraged to join the Society of Children's Book writers and Illustrators. It was a major step because it was there that I learned how to put together a dummy and get a story into the form of a children's picture book," she said. "Then my mother supported a trip to New York, where she and I visited 16 publishers in one week. I submitted everything I had to more than one house. By the time I got home the following week I had sold just about everything."
Though most of her books are based loosely on actual events that she has experienced over the years, Polacco said she also enjoys writing complete fictional works.
"There's a book I'm working on called 'The Teachers Lounge' which is a humorous explanation on why students used to see smoke coming out of the lounge when the door would open," she said. "I'm also working on a Goosebumps-like scary storybook for older children."
Over the years, Polacco has written nearly 30 short stories and has no plans to retire anytime soon.
"As long as I am breathing, I can come up with ideas for books," she said.
When she isn't touring and giving lectures, Polacco said she can often be found at her home in Union City writing or answering her numerous fan club letters.
"Because we get so many letters now, I can't answer them all, but I do read as many as possible," she said. "Sometimes one will really jump out at me and I try to respond personally."
Following her visit to Manchester, Polacco said she will visit schools in Ohio and Kentucky before attending the Meteor Festival in Union City in July. The festival will feature tours of Polacco's home and book signing opportunities.
"I never really have a day off," she said. "But I am certainly grateful for the opportunity to come spend some time with the children of Manchester."
Rohrer said every year, students look forward to the guest reader presentation and planning has already begun for next year's program.
"The kids get a kick out of it and its so much fun to watch the excitement on their faces," she said. "We've already begun planning for next year."
Editor Daniel Lai can be reached at 428-8173 or dlai@heritage.com.
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