Never whistle on a boat.
A rainbow means change is coming.
It’s bad luck to change a boat’s name.
Touch Blue and your wish will come true.
It isn’t everyday that a Newbery Honor author visits your school. The students at Deer Isle-Stonington Elementary in grades k-6 were thrilled to host Cynthia Lord on May 9 to talk about her book Touch Blue. During her visit she also conducted writing workshops with graders 5,6,7 and listened to their presentations on book-related activities and projects. To prepare for the visit, kids in those grades received a free copy of Touch Blue which they read, discussed and formulated questions for the author. Cynthia also read and talked about her picture book Hotrod Hamster with younger students in grades K-4.
Cynthia has made a number of visits with Island Readers & Writers over the past year. In the spring of 2010, the 6th Grade Island-wide Read, a collaboration between the Mount Desert Island Regional School System and IRW, featured her Newbery Honor book Rules. This program was held at the College of the Atlantic and involved 109 6th graders, their teachers and volunteer community facilitators. All came together to discuss with her the writing of Rules, which has sold over a million copies.
Then in the fall, as part of the Island Book & Author program, Cynthia visited schools on Vinalhaven, North Haven, Islesboro, and Frenchboro islands, as well as the Rose Gaffney School in Machias to discuss her latest book Touch Blue. Set in a fictional Maine island community this book is about small town life, school sustainability, and discovering what it feels like to be an outsider, among other themes. An internet link to Cliff Island, Matinicus, Monhegan, Isle au Haut from the Frenchboro School made it possible for even more island students to share in the author discussion.
The students did a wonderful job relating the story to their island communities. Creative displays, customized monopoly games, a skit, collection boxes, story boards were all developed by students to illustrate the events and themes presented in Touch Blue.
That fall, 235 copies of her book Touch Blue were given to students and their teachers. Touch Blue was recently selected by the Youth Service Section of the Maine Library Association as the Lupine Award winner for 2011. Congratulations!
