World Read Aloud Day 2012

On February 21, 2012 I arrived home from school pretty late but I decided to check my email before going for a walk; much to Xena's disgust.  Imagine my surprise, no, my absolute glee, at seeing this in my inbox:

Dear Margie,

Congratulations! You are the winner of The Camping Trip That Saved America Prize Package! Which includes:
... The Camping Trip that Changed America: Theodore Roosevelt, John Muir and Our National Parks (Dial), autographed by Caldecott medalist Mordicai Gerstein and author Barb Rosenstock;

11x14 framed poster image of President Theodore Roosevelt and naturalist John Muir, the book's main characters, atop Glacier Point in Yosemite, 1903;


a "grow your own" Giant Sequoia kit (boxed kit includes: seeds, starter pot, growing mixture and instructions);


15-minute Skype visit with author Barb Rosenstock.
 

Author Cynthia Leitich Smith at her blog, Cynsations, hosted a post about author Barb Rosenstock and her new title, The Camping Trip That Changed America:  Theodore Roosevelt, John Muir, and our National Parks illustrated by Mordicai Gerstein (Dial Books for Young Readers).  Within that post was the giveaway package which I was fortunate enough to win.  Just the day before I had posted a review of the book on this very blog.

Yesterday all our third and fourth grade students filled the library media center to enjoy the Skype visit with Barb Rosenstock on World Read Aloud Day.  It was our first author Skype visit; so successful it will most assuredly not be the last.  What a thrill it was for all of us, students, teachers, and our principal, to hear her read aloud.

After greeting us, she donned her hat and began reading.  Her exuberance was infectious; you could tell this book was very special to her.  During the question and answer period her answers were thoughtful and informative giving all in attendance the inside scoop about this title, writing in general and reading. 



Barb Rosenstock is greeting the students.




Hat on head we hit the trail with Rosenstock,






Question and answer:  How did Rosenstock get her idea for this book?



All these students are listening, learning and reading on World Read Aloud Day.



Students asked the best questions wanting to know about her writing.



An enthusiastic Rosenstock answers questions.

Two fourth graders read a message to a school in Maine.

We here at Charlevoix Elementary School loved being a part of World Read Aloud Day; a way to show that we believe in the power of words, books, reading and writing.