Young Authors Festival Welcomes Gary Schmidt
Capturing kids’ imaginations outside of the pages of his Newbery Honor books, guest author Gary Schmidt told stories to a fascinated audience of first through eighth graders at Trinity’s annual Young Authors Festival.
Students from several area Christian grade schools visited campus this month to celebrate their achievements and expand their passion for writing and reading.
The morning opened with a time of singing in the Ozinga Chapel. Afterward, the children, accompanied by Trinity student volunteers, were divided into groups and participated in three sessions, including small group discussions, Trinity student improv performances, and the chance to hear from the author.
“Stories are about making you and your readers ‘bigger,’” said Schmidt to a group of sixth through eighth grade aspiring authors. “Do it well.”
Schmidt has written many books for young readers, including the Newbery Honor Book The Wednesday Wars, First Boy, and The Wonders of Donal O’Donnell. His novel Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy was both a Newbery Honor Book and a Printz Honor Book. Schmidt shares his expertise and his love for writing with students at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he is a professor of English.
The Young Authors Festival, in its 21st year, is organized by the combined efforts of education professors and other dedicated committee members.