Local Author

One fun thing about the area in which we live is that there are several well-known children's authors: Tedd Arnold (Fly Guy books), Maureen Wright (Grumpy Groundhog is her newest), and Lindsay Barrett George (I think Maggie's Ball is her most recent).  The authors do presentations at the libraries and schools.  Here are some pictures of Maggie and me at a presentation by Lindsay Barrett George.  She illustrates her own books, so she had the kids try different illustrating projects.  (My older kids were at school.) 

Maggie, my friend Charlottle's girls, and the author.

We had a good ward turn-out there (everyone in the photo except the older gentleman and the little boy in the foreground).

She showed the kids a number of her paintings of animals, which were beautiful.

Maggie wrote on my back (lid on) while I drew what I felt her do.

This reminds me of something related that I've thought about.  I believe that there are advantages to living in an area with fewer kids (well - fewer than in Utah).  The little Syracuse story time was always very crowded, but there were only a dozen or so kids at this author event. Sometimes there are activities or things offered here that would be completely overrun if they were to happen where we lived before. Imagine if they offered a free tennis clinic for kids of all ages, or a "Try Hockey For Free" event in Utah.  The school fairs and city Easter egg hunts there were too crowded for me!  There are pros and cons for every location.