05/01/2026
๐ They say never meet your heroโฆ unless your hero is an AUTHOR
At AJLA we have been humbled and honored by recent visits from beloved children's and young adult authors here at school. Our students have had the pleasure of meeting some of the people who have brought some of their favorite stories to life on the page, and the impact is truly lasting.
Lauren Tarshis, author of the "I Survived" series, spoke to our 3rd-5th grade classes about why she became a writer and how she finds inspiration for books sometimes from kids just like them. Our AJLA students recommended titles like "I Survived the COVID-19 Epidemic" and "I Survived the Salem Witch Trials" to name a few. ()
Christina Geist, author of the "Growing with Buddy" series as well as "Before You Fly Away" and more, has dedicated her time and energy to an ongoing project with our Middle School students- helping them write and publish picture books of their own. Her inspiring visits have lit a fire in our oldest students as they engage in the creative writing process for themselves. ()
Tommy Greenwald, author of "Dinged" and other books in the Walthorne series and more, told our 6th and 7th graders about how he based some of his work on the experiences of his own children playing youth sports. He asked our Middle Schoolers about the pressure they feel and gave advice on prioritizing oneself even at a young age. ()
Lizzy Rockwell, acclaimed and beloved picture book author, drew wonderous illustrations right in front of our Kindergarten and First Grade students and even previewed a soon-to-be-released title for them. ()
Hank Herman, author of the "Super Hoops" series, captivated our 2nd Graders with his basketball themed early chapter books right in the middle of March Madness. He even created an activity where students had the opportunity to write their own ending to a book he shared.
We are incredibly grateful to each of these real-life heroes and authors who have taken time to come to share their passion and their craft with our AJLA students. They've inspired our whole community!