What’s so alluring about climbing Mt. Katahdin?

Can one always avoid trouble? What’s with the shipwreck in the cove?

“Is it possible for everything to change, and for nothing to change?”

Island Readers & Writers and the Mount Desert Island Regional School System were thrilled to recently host bestselling author Gary Schmidt. The author of Wednesday Wars, which won a Newbery Honor, and Lizzie Bright and the Buckminister Boy, which won both a Newbery Honor and a Printz Prize, Schmidt is no stranger to young adult readers.  He is a professor of English at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Many of his books are about or set in Maine.

Author of the book Trouble, Schmidt was the featured guest for the 8th Grade Island-wide Read – Thursday, May 26, 2011. This year’s program involved 110 8th graders, 14 adult volunteer facilitators and island teachers. The gathering took place at the Mount Desert Elementary School in Northeast Harbor.

Students read Trouble and met with the award winning author to discuss the book and hear a presentation on the writing process. Schmidt also addressed a series of questions resulting from work done earlier in the morning in small groups facilitated by community volunteers. Check out the video clips and  hear what the author, teachers and students had to say about the event. It was a terrific day!

On Sunday, July 24 Gary Schmidt returned for a public book talk on his recently released book Okay for Now at the Northeast Harbor Library. The program began at 4:00 p.m. A reception and booksigning followed.

Schmidt also met with young readers participating in Island Readers & Writers Friends Over Books summer reading program on Monday, July 25 at the Northeast Harbor Library.