Darlington’s Lower School will welcome children’s author Elise Broach on Oct. 28 for its annual Author Visit. She will speak to students in all classes.
Broach is the New York Times bestselling author of “Masterpiece,” “Shakespeare’s Secret,” “Desert Crossing” and “Missing on Superstition Mountain,” the first book in the Superstition Mountain Trilogy, as well as several picture books. Her books have been selected as ALA Notable Books, Junior Library Guild selections, a Publishers Weekly Best Children’s Book, a New York Public Library Best Book for the Teen Age, an IRA Teacher’s Choice, an E.B. White Read Aloud Award, and nominated for an Edgar Award, among other distinctions.
“As a successful author of both picture books and novels, Elise Broach will tailor her presentations to each age group,” said Lower School Librarian Ann Glass. “The younger students will learn about writing and publishing, starting from the idea for a book through to the published product. Elise said she will bring running sheets and other material to show the different steps in writing and publishing. The older students will have a more specific topic relating to writing a good mystery and the different elements and research that go into it.”
To prepare for her visit, Lower School students are reading her books. Fourth-graders read “Masterpiece” as part of their summer reading, and several younger students read both “Masterpiece” and “Shakespeare’s Secret” in the Lower School Summer Book Club. In addition, all classes are reading all her picture books along with part of “Missing on Superstition Mountain.”
“When she visits, we will be ready with fresh flowers (her favorite decoration) and M&M’s (she can tell the color of each M&M with her eyes closed!)” Glass said.
Broach holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in history from Yale University. She was born near Atlanta, spent part of her childhood in England, and now lives in the woods of rural Connecticut, in walking distance from three farms, a library, a post office and two country stores.
Past guest authors/illustrators visiting the Lower School have included Patricia Reilly Giff, David Winsniewski, Robert San Souci, Jack Gantos, Lynn Cullen, Mike Lester, Carmen Agra Deedy, Helen Lester, Jane Kurtz, Mordicai Gerstein, Eric Kimmel, Grace Lin, Lola Schaefer and Diane Z. Shore.
