Hoosier Hysteria

I'm finally caught up to Indiana's AEYC..... which were the final days up to the very last few minutes before we departed for Europe. Here I am being greeted by my fanclub friends who were adding to their personal collections of Debbie Clement picture books. It's always great to return to a conference where I have presented previously. It's especially delightful to return to my Hoosier roots and get the hugs and encouragement of teachers who have already used my work in their classrooms.

****We pose these pictures for several reasons. The first and probably most important is that the teachers can then print out the picture and affix it permanently within the front cover of the book. That way, every time the teacher shares the book, they can share their picture with the author/illustrator. This is a brilliant idea from a children's librarian who poses with authors and illustrators in her travels for gift books to be given to her grand-children.

By having the photographic 'evidence', the young audience gets to meet a "real" author that becomes all the more "real" because they know and recognize their teacher. I have had all sorts of teachers get back to me about what a difference this makes in the connection of the children to the book itself. Children appreciate seeing a signed book. One that is personalized is all the more exciting, but one that is personalized, signed and has the picture of their teacher with the author is a real thrill.

I honestly believe that in the mind of a young child the making of authors into 'real' people -- people that their teachers can meet and hug, conveys the truth that 'real' people, people that they can come to know, people like themselves, real, live, ordinary, actual people, can write books. It's just a very small leap from there to the conecpt that they, too, can write a book.

Here's to making authors real people.