Patricia Reilly Giff Blog Tour
Patricia Reilly Giff is the author of many acclaimed books, among them Newbery Honor Winning Lily’s Crossing and Picture of Hollis Woods, and the bestselling Kids of Polk Street School series. And now with Number One Kid and Big Whopper (just released yesterday!) Ms. Giff introduces us to an exciting new multicultural cast of characters at the ZigZag Afternoon Center, where after school adventures abound. Patricia Reilly Giff is embarking on a two-week blog tour to promote her new series and we are thrilled to be her second tour stop!
It’s been twenty years since I taught my first writing class in the Dinosaur’s Paw, our children’s bookstore.
I thought maybe I’d do it once, but that would have been like putting down a book at the best part…or books!
I began with twelve writers. That’s changed: we have room for twenty-five, and that’s where my son Jim, the bookstore boss, cuts it off. Not much else has changed though, except the snacks. I began with brewed coffee and homemade cake. They’re lucky now if I bring cans of coke and bakery cookies, none too fresh.
What joy it is to meet new writers. How often I hear, “I really don’t think I can, but I promised myself I’d try.” I hear myself saying exactly that as I wrote THE GIRL WHO KNEW IT ALL, my first book.
I’ve come to love these writers; I’m as excited as they are by their growth. I can’t count how many have published anymore, but I remember their first chapters; I picture their faces when they announce that first publication.
It’s particularly joyous to remember Tony Abbott writing DANGER GUYS in the class, to cheer him on as he won an EDGAR for POSTCARD last year. And how thrilling that three of my students: Karen Day (TALL TALES and NO CREAM PUFFS) Jame Richards (THREE RIVERS RISING) and Rose Kent (ROCKY ROAD) are published by Random House.
I love teaching this course. I try to give these writers what I needed so much—and still need—the confidence to believe in ourselves, to feel that we have something to say, that people will love to read what we write.
ZigZag tour schedule:
August 10th Cynsations http://cynthialeitichsmith.blogspot.com/
August 11th Random Acts of Reading http://randomactsofreading.wordpress.com/
August 12th Where the Best Books Are! http://wherethebestbooksare.blogspot.com/
August 13th Shelf Elf http://shelfelf.wordpress.com/
August 14th Mundie Moms http://mundiemoms.blogspot.com/
August 15th The Children’s Book Review http://www.thechildrensbookreview.com/
August 16th Chicken Spaghetti http://www.chickenspaghetti.typepad.com/
August 17th Patricia Reilly Giff http://www.PatriciaReillyGiff.com
(two additional dates outside of the tour):
August 25th TeachingAuthors.com http://www.teachingauthors.com/
September 7th Teachingbooks.net http://www.teachingbooks.net/
You can also find out more about the Zig Zag kids series on Ms. Giff’s new website: PatriciaReillyGiff.com.
