Library Kicks Off New Year with Author Elly Swartz

The Library kicked off the new year with an Author Day for our 5th and 6th Grade students: a visit from Elly Swartz, author of children's books including Finding Perfect, Smart Cookie and Give and Take. Ms. Swartz presented a writer's revision workshop for 5th grade with tips about how to brainstorm for writing, use meaningful objects or photos to evoke authentic feelings for characters, revise and refine one's writing, and much more. The 6th grade presentation focused on bravery and was a great twist on standing up, having courage, and taking risks. Ms. Swartz is an amazingly gifted speaker and a hands-on mentor, who worked with the students and coached them to develop characters and storylines and tap into their own experience and feelings as they write.

Curtis School's Author Days program is directed by the Library faculty, and each year brings many renowned children's authors and illustrators to our school who use their insights and experience to inspire our students as writers.