Cynthia Lord's Blog, page 40

Dancing with the Stars!

At my school visit in Sturbridge last week, Emma gave me this fabulous picture of Disco Dancing Hamster! 

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Home Again

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My daughter came home last night from graduate school. It's wonderful to wake up and know she's asleep in her room. I have a week and half off now before I need to travel again, so I've been working hard on my book. 

And I've been getting ready for Thanksgiving and enjoying my family--including these two little goofballs.

[image error]  Sleep tight, Milo.

[image error] And it's sweet to look up from working and find Cookie peeking at me. He's chewing up a paper bag here. He does love arts and crafts projects. :-)

Cheer Day, Chase Day, Gonna Have a Race Day!

Last Tuesday, I went Downeast with Island Readers and Writers and spent the day with the 100+ K-8 kids at Milbridge Elementary School. The 6-8th graders had read Touch Blue, and the 8th grade even had a lobster bake!



For most schools that would be an expensive celebration, but many of these kids are lobstermen or sternmen themselves or have family members who fish. So all the lobsters were donated.

And I presented on Hot Rod Hamster with the K-5th graders. Here I am with the youngest group, When I get to the page of Hot Rod Hamster where the big dogs tease Hamster, I have the kids make all the faces with me. In this photo, I've asked them to show me their best "stare face."

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Island Readers and Writers gave a free copy of Touch Blue to all the 6-8th graders,

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And Hot Rod Hamster to every 2-5th grade student, and I signed them all.

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Scholastic graciously sent each K-1 student a page of Hot Rod Hamster stickers (though this part of the story will have a sequel that I will tell you another day).

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It was exciting for the kids and for me. 

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Now, for the hilarious part of this visit. . .

The school bought a real, live hamster as a school pet in honor of my coming, and they named it "Hot Rod Hamster." As a surprise for the kids, I bought him one of those hamster-wheel cars.

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But when I saw him, he was a HUGE hamster (you can see him in the bottom of the cage here).




And I wasn't even sure if he'd fit!



But he did--and he loved it!





So after letting him practice in the gym, the young kids lined the school hallway outside their rooms and cheered as Hot Rod Hamster raced past, back to his home in the 4th-5th grade room.



I was joking with Michelle from Island Readers and Writers that I had given all that great writing advice in my sessions, but the hamster zooming down the hallway in his new car would be all kids would be telling their parents about at supper.

But of all the photos taken that day, this one is my favorite. The joy on their faces reflects the whole day for me.

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Thank you to Island Readers and Writers (and to Michelle for the photos!), Milbridge Elementary School, Scholastic, and Hot Rod Hamster for a fabulous, fun day!

A Lucky Day in Sturbridge

I had such a wonderful day at Burgess Elementary School in Sturbridge, Massachusetts. The kids and teachers were full of enthusiasm and there was beautiful artwork celebrating my books in the hallways. There were cupcakes and hot rods for our hamster books,



Rules,



Superstitions,



Monopoly games in progress,





And more!  I loved seeing it all, but I especially loved the display case of lucky things the students shared (just like Tess keeps her lucky things in her pocket in Touch Blue).

Here are a few:













I enjoyed seeing all the objects and reading the stories that went with them. What a wonderful idea! 

Thank you to everyone at Burgess Elementary School for an awesome, amazing day!

Hello from Sturbridge!

I'm off to a school visit in a few mintues, but I came to Sturbridge, Massachusetts early afternoon yesterday so I could visit Old Sturbridge Village. It was a beautiful November day, and I had a great time!











I enjoyed some time in the 1830s yesterday, including visiting an old school house. But now I'm excited to meet today's children of Sturbridge!

Between Bridges

I have some wonderful (and a few, hilarious) photos to share of my trip to Milbridge on Tuesday, but they'll have to wait for the weekend, because I'm heading off to Sturbridge, Massachusetts today! I am so excited to meet everyone at Burgess Elementary School on Friday.

I'm leaving home soon so I can have the afternoon to visit Old Sturbridge Village, a living history museum that I've always wanted to visit. And here's my chance!


(Photo from WikiMedia Commons: The covered bridge at Old Sturbridge Village, MA, with the horse-drawn wagon coming through. Taken by Dale E. Martin, May 26, 2008.)

Hello, Ms. Madore's Class!

A few weeks ago, my friend Stephanie told me that her daughter's teacher was reading Rules aloud to her class. I asked if her daughter would like to bring a signed bookmark to everyone, and Stephanie said yes. 

Then I got these wonderful photos of Ms. Madore and her students.  As an author, you really dream of moments like this.










Thank you to Stephanie for the photos and to Ms. Madore's 4th grade class at Oak Street Elementary School in Plattsburgh, New York for the amazing thank you notes you sent me.

The students created their thank you notes as word cards for Jason. 



I was touched by these and impressed. Even my duckies couldn't help admiring them! 

On My Way Downeast

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In the fall, blueberry barrens turn red. The first time I ever saw that was a few years ago. I was heading to a school visit in Machias, Maine with Jan Coates of Island Readers and Writers. We were just driving that long Route One, turned 'round a bend, and there was an ocean of red on both sides of the road. It was so unexpected and startlingly beautiful that I had to stop and get out of the car for a minute.

I'm heading up to blueberry country again for a school visit with Island Readers and Writers tomorrow in Milbridge, Maine. I don't know if the barrens will still be that glorious scarlet, but here's a photo I took that fall day on the way to Machias.

My Week of Bridges

This week is my week of "bridges." Milbridge, Maine and Sturbridge, Massachusetts.

Yesterday, I was reading about Milbridge, because I leave on that trip tomorrow and I like to learn a little about the places I visit, I came upon this photo of the school. Milbridge is on the mainland, but an hour or so downeast past Mt. Desert Island, where Acadia National Park is located.



Out front of the school is a fog bell from Petit Manan lighthouse. Petit Manan Island is now a National Wildlife Refuge, and one of the seabirds that live on the island are puffins. I was reading the website about the history of the lighthouse  and I came upon this little story.
"A small school operated for some years on the island to educate the children of the keepers. When a new teacher, Lilla Severance Cole, arrived at her new post in 1915, the keeper informed her that his wife was about to give birth. Despite her lack of medical training, Lilla was forced to deliver the couple’s eighth child. When the doctor finally reached the island, he congratulated Lilla, thinking she was a nurse."

Wow. Poor Lilla! She showed up to teach, but first she had to deliver a baby!

From My Mail

Here are some lines from yesterday's mail from kids that made me smile or touched me.



It's a great book because it has a great mix of humor, action, and uphills and downhills. --Rahul

I wish my mom was friends with you. --Kaya

When you were a kid, did you like math or spelling better? --Ethan

Do you like popcorn? Do you go to the movies ever? If you do, do you go to a teenage movie or a kids' movie? --Isabel

Rules helped me feel more comfortable around people who are a little different than me. --Leah

You did a good job of describing Catherine's character. I think if Catherine walked into a room, I could recognize her. --Nick

There are a lot of scenes that make me mad, angry, sad, overwhelmed, and some give me the warm and fuzzies. --Alisa

Catherine learns a lesson that even many adults don't know. Be yourself. --Allie

How was it like to win a Newbery Honor? I bet it was like living the dream! --Riya

When I first picked up your book I thought, "UGH, we have to read a book in class." I was kind of sad at some parts like when Catherine shouts at David. But when we were done with the book, I was really sad. --Amy

There are so many good, juicy sentences. --Rachel

I have a little brother and sometimes he embarrasses me, too, like when he got his hand stuck in a vending machine, and they had to call the fire department. --Jacqueline

I've got to say that Page 43 was a nice touch! --Mackenzie