Take aim for ARROW!
Island Readers & Writers is delighted to offer seventh and eighth-graders on Mount Desert Island and her outer islands the chance to let their creativity take flight during spring break this year at our ARROW Retreat.
ARROW stands for:
A=Art R=Reading R=Reflection O=Observation W=Writing
For four days, April 15 to 18, young writers and illustrators will have the chance to work with one of the country’s acclaimed authors, Gary Schmidt, top-notch artist and picture book author Rebekah Raye and naturalist Rich McDonald–all for free. Registration will be on a first-come, first-served basis and will begin March 15 at 5 pm.
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Okay for Now is sure to be a classic!
If you loved Wednesday Wars and Lizzie Bright and the Buckminister Boy by two-time Newbery Honor and Printz Prize winning author Gary Schmidt, you’ll love his latest book Okay for Now! And not only are his books great, he is an exceptional speaker and storyteller too!
Island Readers & Writers was thrilled to host Gary Schmidt for a series of author events and discussions with readers of all ages on July 24 & 25, 2011. Programs took place on Mount Desert Island and on Swan’s Island in their beautiful new library (dedication on July 7 at noon).
Sunday, July 24 at 4:00 p.m. at the Northeast Harbor Library, Gary Schmidt spoke about his book Okay for Now. The program will took place in the Foyer with a reception and booksigning in the Mellon Room. The event was free and open to the public. Copies of both Okay for Now and Wednesday Wars will be on sale.
Monday, July 25 at 10:30 a.m. at the Swan’s Island Library and 6:30 p.m. at the Northeast Harbor Library, Gary met with kids (ages 10-14) who are participated in the IRW’s summer reading program Friends Over Books.
In May, Gary was the guest author for 8th Grade Island-wide Read – Thursday, May 26, 2011. A collaboration between the MDI Regional School System and Island Readers & Writers involving 110 8th graders, 14 adult volunteer facilitators and teachers. All read and discussed his book Trouble, another great read!
Gary Schmidt attended Gordon College in Massachusetts and graduate school at the University of Illinois, earning a Ph.D. in medieval literature. He has been a professor of English at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, for more than twenty-five years. He and his wife Anne have six children and live on a one hundred-fifty-year-old farm in Alto, Michigan, where Gary splits wood, plants gardens, writes, and feeds the wild cats that drop by.
Many of this books are set in or are about Maine.
