Mark Your Calendars!!
Be looking for the list of authors and children's book ILLUSTRATORS...Coming Soon!!
November 15-16, 2012
Statehouse Convention Center & Peabody Hotel, Little Rock, Arkansas
Keynote Speakers
Steve Layne
Timothy Shanahan
Linda Hoyt
More Details and Proposal submissions at http://www.arareading.org/
Contact me at huskeyj72501@yahoo.com for more information.
Steven L. Layne serves as full time Professor of Literacy Education at Judson University in Elgin, IL. His experience working at multiple grade levels in the public schools provides a unique camaraderie with teachers and librarians. His award-winning books for children and young adults add another element to his dynamic presentations.
http://www.stevelayne.com
—Danny Brassell is a professor in the Teacher Education Department at California State University-Dominguez Hills and founder of http://www.lazyreaders.com/. He is the author of over 50 journal and newspaper articles and nine books, including 75+ Reading Strategies: Boost Achievement and Build a Life-Long Love of Reading, Dare to Differentiate: Vocabulary Strategies for All Students, and Bringing Joy Back Into the Classroom.
—Timothy Shanahan is a professor of urban education at the University of Illinois at Chicago where he serves as director of the UIC Center for Literacy. A former IRA president, he has authored, co-authored, or edited more than 150 publications including Developing Literacy in Second-Language Learners and Teachers Thinking, Teachers Knowing. His research focuses on the relationship of reading and writing, school improvement, the assessment of reading ability, and family literacy.
—Linda Hoyt has worked as a reading specialist, a staff developer, a curriculum specialist, and a Title I Coordinator. Her special love is creating environments where children engage as active participants in the learning process. She is the author of numerous books including: Revisit,Reflect, Retell: Strategies for Improving Reading Comprehension; Snapshots: Literacy Minilessons UpClose; Exploring Informational Texts: From Theory to Practice; Make It Real: Strategies for Success with Informational Texts; and Spotlight on Comprehension:Building a Literacy of Thoughtfulness.
—Kwame Alexander has written 14 books, owned several publishing companies, written for the stage and television (TLC's "Hip Hop Harry"), recorded a CD, performed around the world, produced jazz and book festivals, hosted a weekly radio show, worked for the U.S. Government, and taught in a high school. He resides in the Washington, DC area, where he is the Founding Director of Book-in-a-Day (BID), a program that teaches and empowers teenagers to write and publish their own books.http://bookinaday.org/index.php?page=stories
Page McBrier is an award-winning author, writing teacher, drama specialist, and arts consultant from Connecticut. She has written over 40 books including Beatrice’s Goat, winner of a 2001 Christopher Award. Some of her other books include Confessions of a Reluctant Elf and the Oliver and Companyseries http://pagemcbrier.com/ 
My kindergarten & 1st graders LOVED learning about artist ED HECK and his simplistic art pieces that add just the right punch of color! They fell in love with his art and wanted to learn how to draw every thing he had created. This was a great lesson for making observations, looking at line, shape and color. Ed is an artist that has a studio in New York. He has also written several children's books like the ones we used here.
I taught them step by step how to draw his creations. Each class featured a different piece. After they had theirs created which they were amazed at how good they did drawing, then I had them try to create their own pieces. They are just adorable!! If it wasn't the end of school we would have painted their pieces, but it was the last day and we just did not have time to get them finished. I have not received the COLOR by Penguins book yet and am so looking forward to getting it.
