Kids are cool.  Some adults are as well (the child-like ones), but, frankly, it’s kind of hit and miss once people have had time to ferment. 

So it shouldn’t surprise anyone that my recent visits to Farnsworth and Jordan Ridge Elementaries were greatly enjoyable.  I was more experienced at the assembly I give, which made me both more comfortable and more effective at the presentation.  I think everyone involved got something from the experience.

On Thursday I went to Farnsworth and did the assembly for several grades, 3rd-6th, I think.  That ended up being a few hundred students.  We experienced some technical problems that almost had me doing the assembly without any visuals, but a number of technical wizards got together and willed my laptop to work with the school’s projector.  Things went smoothly from then on and we told a story about two heroes mining for cheese on the moon when a villain, bitter at their success, ate all the cheese and was thereafter blown up, spraying previously injested cheese all over the kids.  In spite of the mess, teachers and administrators all seemed happy I’d come, and I spent longer than I anticipated signing books for students, teachers, and even one parent.  Special thanks to everyone at the school, especially Principal Kissell for the invitation. 

The next morning I drove to Jordan Ridge Elementary for their first ever author day.  This was a surprisingly big event that the school pulled off flawlessly.  There were a number of authors there in addition to myself: Ann Cannon, Kristen Crow, M’Lin Rowley, Virginia Smith, and my friend Jessica Day George, who is completely deserving of the reputation of red-headed women (in all good and scary ways).  We each addressed two grade levels, one at a time in two sessions.  I got third and fourth graders, which I think is very suitable given my maturity level.  It was quite a shindig with breakfast and a catered lunch and everything.  I’m sure that those of us fortunate enough to be invited to participate had far more fun than the students, but hopefully they enjoyed it too.  This event was so complex that there are more people to thank than I even know their names, but I can’t leave out Pam Onederra, organizer and the school’s literacy specialists.  She went above and beyond with this, believe me. 

And, of course, I must thank my wonderful guide Meridenne (let me know if I spelled this wrong!) yet pronounced Meredith, a very sharp girl who wants to be an editor when she grows up.  A decade from now some writers are going to be awfully lucky to work with you, and when you’re famous in writing circles I’ll tell all my friends, “Hey, she showed me around her school once.  Yeah, I know you’re jealous.”  And they will be.  Very.