Alice Kuipers's Blog: Book Club, page 8

Love to mothers, and those mothers who have lost children and to...

Love to mothers, and those mothers who have lost children and to those who long for children.

Back home #science experiment happening in the...

Back home #science experiment happening in the background…

Writing tip that I loved today

Writing tip that I loved today

One of the books I’ve been hanging out with this...

One of the books I’ve been hanging out with this week…#TDBookweek #reading

This morning was so peaceful, so different from being at home....

This morning was so peaceful, so different from being at home. Made me miss my noisy, wild children ;-) Got to spend plenty of time with kids today for #TDbookweek events, then had time to prep for tomorrow, even got to write a bit…

Writing prompt: can you write about a time you or your character...

Writing prompt: can you write about a time you or your character treated themselves? Did everything go as planned? Here was my treat to myself out here on Vancouver Island yesterday #tdbookweek

TD Bookweek

#TDBookweek is an amazing opportunity for writers for children to tour a province that they don’t live in. I started my first TDBookweek tour at the weekend. On Sunday, after a beautiful day of driving, I spent the night in Port Hardy, in Vancouver Island. It was a beautiful night and I watched a rainbow over the marina as I read through my presentations for the following morning. I arrived at Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw School early for my morning presentation. The school is on the Tsulquate Reserve. This is one of the few times I have been on a Reserve in Canada and I was reminded of our tragic and complicated history as settlers. I was toured through the school by the lovely Jackie Hunt, who talked me through the tragic past of the Reserve, and showed me the amazing steps the community continues to take to overcome and reconcile with the past. It was a deep learning moment for me. The first class of Grade 2 and 3s were engaged and actively listening, asking questions and then storyboarding with me during our time together. One of the students, kindly shared his storyboard for me to share with you. I talked about the experience of how Polly Diamond and the Magic Book was created, from inception to illustration, bringing alive the book and the process for these young writers. This was followed by a session with the Grade 6/7s where I talked about my book of non-fiction, about the life of Toronto teenager, Carley Allison, due out next year, to illuminate how a book comes to life, in keeping with the TDBookweek theme of bringing books to life.

I drove to Port McNeill where I found Cheeselakes Elementary School, despite the GPS leading me down a mining road. There I had another wonderful session with their two kindergarten classrooms who were terrific listeners as we talked about how Violet and Victor came to life, how the book was written, illustrated and born. Then I read to them from the book, took questions and heard all about the books these writers had written. After another drive of a couple of hours to get to Campbell River, I settled in with the presentations for tomorrow and a beautiful supper and view over the water.

Today, my second day of school visits, started with 150 kindergarten to Grade 3s at Penfield Elementary School, in Campbell River, who were so attentive and full of amazing questions as we talked about how they could share their best stories. I shared with them how a book was written and I must have answered twenty questions during pauses in my presentation, before hanging out with the Grade 3s to answer even more of their questions. Then I drove to Courtenay, where a group of eighty Grade 1-3s were equally full of questions and inspiration. My favourite comments of the day were: I am going to go home and write a book now. And, I have an ingrown toenail. I spend the night tonight in Courtenay, before returning to the same school as today–Arden Elementary, to meet with the rest of their Grade 2s and 3s. And then I’ll drive to Royston Elementary, before a longer drive to Parksville where I go to two more schools. As I drive, I’ve been listening to The Moth–it is such an pleasure for me not only to talk about my books with such excited kids, but also to listen to such extraordinary storytelling as I drive without the screaming interruptions of my four children. It gives me time to dream and think about stories and to, perhaps, come up with something new to work on once I get home.      

Starting the second day of #TDbookweek with a travelling#WOD...

Starting the second day of #TDbookweek with a travelling#WOD #wishmeluck #crossfitter (ish)

Amazing first day of #TDbookweek—wonderful schools and...

Amazing first day of #TDbookweek—wonderful schools and audiences. Thanks Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw School and Cheslakees Elementary #writing #books #stories

Beautiful start to the day with @theworldiscallingyou and then a...

Beautiful start to the day with @theworldiscallingyou and then a stunning drive to Port Hardy. First school visit tomorrow #tdbookweek and first time travelling alone like this since I was eighteen and backpacked around the world by myself… #amwriting