Tuesday, May 1, 2012

SPELLBINDERS at the International Reading Association!

Spellbinders Logo
April 30, 2012
GONE TO CHICAGO!
...and a giveaway
SPELLBINDERS AUTHORS TRAVELED TO CHICAGO TO TALK ABOUT
POETRY, PLOTTING, AND PROSE
 A total of nine children's authors participated in an all-day panel pre-conference institute at the 2012 International Reading Association in Chicago yesterday, Sunday, April 29th. The institute was organized by Spellbinders' own Carolee Dean, a high school speech-language pathologist and young adult author. The focus of the Sunday panel was on "Rekindling the Reading Fire - Using the Story Strategies of Professional Authors to Inspire a Love of Reading and Writing."

 
 
Carolee started the day discussing The Secret Language of Stories, the twelve-step story analysis method she uses to both plot her novels and teach writing to students of all ages.
The morning concluded with Spellbinders authors Kimberley Griffiths Little and Caroline Starr Rose leading writing workshops. Kimberley presented "The Secret Story Diary" and Caroline followed up with a revision activity she calls "Stick Man Character Development" where she gave practical suggestions for diving deeper into character descriptions.
The afternoon involved several breakout sessions focused on recognizing the plotting strategies, literary devices, and other tools frequently used by authors, strategies useful to students for improving story comprehension and plotting original stories.
 
Afternoon panel topics included:
 
"Content Area Literacy: Making History Come Alive" by Carolyn Meyer, author of numerous historical novels including CLEOPATRA CONFESSES (Simon & Schuster) and THE WILD QUEEN (Harcourt Houghton Mifflin); and Spellbinders' Caroline Starr Rose, author of MAY B. (Schartz and Wade).
 
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"Social Issues in Contemporary Fiction and Verse Novels: Recognizing Literary Devices and the Implications for Struggling Readers" by Spellbinders' Carolee Dean, speech-language pathologist and author of 3 young adult novels including COMFORT (Houghton Mifflin) and TAKE ME THERE (Simon Pulse); Spellbinders' Caroline Starr Rose, former middle school teacher and author of the verse novel, MAY B. (Schwartz & Wade); Lisa Schroeder, author of 4 verse novels including CHASING BROOKLYN and THE DAY BEFORE (Simon Pulse); and April Halprin Wayland author of Girl Coming in for a Landing (Dell Yearling Books).
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"Brave New Worlds in Fantasy and Magic Realism: Inspiring Literacy by Sparking the Imagination" by Spellbinders Kimberley Griffiths Little, author of THE HEALING SPELL and CIRCLE OF SECRETS (Scholastic Books) and Kersten Hamilton, author of the Goblin series which includes TYGER, TYGER (Clarion).
 
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"Social and Cultural Influences: Approaching Plot Through the Intersection of Character, Setting, and Time" by Uma Krishnaswami, author of THE GRAND PLAN TO FIX EVERYTHING (Ahteneum Books for Young Readers); April Halprin Wayland author of GIRL COMING IN FOR A LANDING (Dell Yearling Books); Esther Hershenhorn, author of S IS FOR STORY: A WRITER'S ALPHABET (Sleeping Bear Press).
  
***The competition to get into this conference was stiff, and it was a great honor to have all of our Spellbinders authors participating. It was a lot of work, but we are also having a blast in Chicago, so be sure to join us next week for our final issue of the school year***
SPELLBINDERS LUNCH - CHICAGO STYLE - May 7th Issue! 
 
AND... if you'd like to win a copy of THE YEAR WE WERE FAMOUS, the book featured in last week's Classroom Connections, simply leave a comment at the Spellbinders blog. Contest closes May 7th.


 Black Stripes

Meet the Spellbinders
  
Carolee Dean
Carolee Dean has made numerous appearances as a guest poet/author at schools, libraries, poetry events, and teacher/library conferences. She holds a bachelor's degree in music therapy and a master's degree in communicative disorders, and she has spent over a decade working in the public schools as a
  
Comfort Paperback Cover
speech-language pathologist.
  
Her first novel, Comfort,was nominated as a Best Book for Young Adults, was named the Best YA Novel of 2002 by the Texas Institute of Letters, and was on the TAYSHAS (Texas Library Association) reading list. Take Me There is a YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers.
Her upcoming paranormal verse novel, Forget Me Not, will be published by Simon Pulse in October of 2012.
Take Me There Cover
  
She conducts teacher trainings on inspiring reluctant writers including "The Secret Language of Stories" and "Random Act of Haiku."Forget Me Not
  

 Follow me on Twitter 
  
  
  
  
Caroline Starr RoseCaroline Starr Rose spent her childhood in the deserts of Saudi Arabia and New Mexico, camping at the Red Sea in one and eating red chile in the other. She's taught English and social studies to upper elementary and middle-school students in New Mexico, Florida, Virginia, and Louisiana. Back in New
Mexico, Caroline now writes middle-grade novels and picture books full time. 
 

To find teacher's guides, writing activities, and information about author visits, go to my website.
  
  
  

Kim Bio PhotoKimberley Griffiths Little is the recipient of the Southwest Book Award, The Whitney Award for Best Youth Novel of 2010, and the author of the highly acclaimed, The Healing Spell and Circle of Secrets, published by Scholastic Press. Look for her books at the Scholastic Book Fairs, as well Circle of Secretsas two more forthcoming novels in 2012 and 2013.
  
She lives on a dirt road in a small town by the Rio Grande with her husband, a robotics engineer and their three sons. Kimberley is a favorite speaker at schools around the country, presenting "The Creative Diary", a highly successful writing workshop and has been a speaker at many conferences.
  
Please visit her website to download free Teacher's Guides and Book Club Guides. 
  
Follow me on Twitter 


                 Upcoming Author Events


Tuesday, May 1
3 p.m. - 4 p.m.
International Reading Association Conference
Chicago, Illinois
"The Secret Language of Stories"
Carolee Dean

                Wednesday, May 16
Bloomers, Buckboards, and Buffalo Chips presentation
7:00pm
The Library Center
Springfield, MO
and
Saturday, May 19
3:00pm
George Washington Carver National Monument
Diamond, MO
Caroline Starr Rose
  
November, 2012
YALSA Literature Symposium 
"Author Research Panel"
Carolee Dean
Kimberley Griffiths Little
and two other authors
St. Louis, Missouri
  

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