The Sacramento County Office of Education is announcing its 2005-2006 schedule for the Authors in the Schools program. The program connects outstanding authors with students and the Sacramento County community. SCOE and the individual schools hosting the visiting authors sponsor the program. Through the interaction with published authors and illustrators, students develop a true appreciation for writing, illustrating, the publishing process and the love of literature.
The following author/presenters will visit selected Sacramento County school sites:
| Author | Date | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Michael Ross | 2/15/06 | Greer Elementary/San Juan Unified School District |
| 2/16/06 | Natoma Station Elementary/Folsom Cordova Unified School District | |
| 2/17/06 | Woodbridge Elementary/Rio Linda Union School District | |
| Robert San Souci | 3/15/06 | Ottoman Elementary/San Juan Unified School District |
| 3/16/06 | Rio Linda Elementary/Rio Linda Union School District | |
| 3/17/06 | Billy Mitchell Elementary/San Juan Unified School District | |
| Ginger Wadsworth | 4/19/06 | Orangevale Open Elementary/San Juan Unified School District |
| 4/20/06 | Lisbon Elementary/San Juan Unified School District | |
| 4/21/06 | Pershing Elementary/San Juan Unified School District |
For more information about the Authors in the Schools program please call (916) 228-2348.
Author Biographies
Michael Ross
Michael, a naturalist with over 35 children's books to his credit, is known as a bug author, as well as a bug illustrator. He and his family live on a bluff in El Portal overlooking the Merced River in the Yosemite National Park Administrative site. As a naturalist, he takes visitors on walking tours and hikes of the park.
Michael is the recipient of numerous awards including: Bank Street College—The Best Books of the Year 2003, Best Books for Children 2002 (Science Books and Films), and Eureka Booklist 2001—California State Library Association, and the Scientific American Young Readers Award 1996. Recently he learned that four of his books are in the new 2006 California Collections.
Some of his titles include: Snug as a Bug, What's the Matter with Mr. Whiskers?, Become a Bird and Fly, and What Makes Everything Go?
Author's website: www.bugauthor.com
Robert San Souci
Robert is a native Californian who was born in and still resides in San Francisco. He has traveled extensively across the country where he has found inspiration for many of his books. Many of his books are the retelling of traditional tales, which celebrate people from around the world. Robert enjoys working with favorite illustrator: his brother Daniel.
Some of Robert's titles include: ZigZag, The Reluctant Dragon and The Well at the End of the World. He also wrote Fa Mulan, a historically grounded retelling of a 2,000-year-old ballad. Disney's animated film, Mulan, was based on this book. He is the recipient of several awards: 2005 Honor Book Award from the Society of School Librarians International, (International Reading Association) Children's Choice for 2004, and Parenting Magazine's "Reading Magic" Award.
Author's website: www.rsansouci.com
Ginger Wadsworth
A native of California, Ginger received her degree in English from the University of California, Davis. She lives in Orinda, California with her husband, Bill. She is a naturalist as well as a writer of nonfiction books and biographies. She is a member of many nature/conservation-oriented organizations such as the Audubon Society and the Sierra Club. Ginger enjoys being a "science detective" learning about animals, where they live and why.
Some of her outstanding books have been honored with inclusion on the Notable Children's Trade books in social studies and chosen as Distinguished Books in Science. Her most recent book is Cesar Chavez, a biography for beginning readers. Another of her recent titles, Words West: Voices of Young Pioneers (Fall 2003), is an award-winning book (2004 Spur Award for Juvenile Nonfiction from Western Writers of America).
She often writes about California and western American history, focusing on young pioneers who traveled west by covered wagon.
Author's website: www.gingerwadsworth.com