Staff Report
For the 48th year, upper elementary and junior high school students from the Santa Ynez Valley and throughout the county had the chance to meet and talk with authors and illustrators of books for young people at the annual Author-Go-Round at the Santa Barbara County Education Office from Jan. 22-26.
Each day, approximately 130 students listened to four presentations and then spent 15 minutes asking questions and interacting with the authors while seated on carpets in small groups. At a music signal, they rotated on to the next author.
Participating authors and illustrators included Bruce Hale, Amy Goldman Koss, Patricia Newman, and Frans Vischer.
Students who participated met authors of books written specifically for young people, explored avenues of creative writing and illustrating with successful people in literature, and read and discussed in-depth literary works by well-known authors.
Participating districts included Ballard, Buellton, College, Los Olivos, Solvang and Vista del Mar, as well as Blochman, Carpinteria, Cuyama, Goleta, Guadalupe, Hope, Lompoc, Montecito, Orcutt, Santa Barbara and Santa Maria-Bonita.
“This annual event pays tribute to the reading and writing of children’s literature,” said County Superintendent of Schools Susan C. Salcido, whose office coordinates the annual event. “The students come away with a sense that they have been involved with a real ‘literary happening.’”
More information is available from Rose Koller, educational technology services, at 964-4710, ext. 5222.
