Acclaimed Authors Visit Chelsea Schools Once More

By Shannon Powers, CDL

Nationally-recognized children and teen authors are headed to Chelsea once more for the 13th annual Authors in Chelsea event. Beginning Tuesday, March 15, Chelsea District Library (CDL) will present Authors in Chelsea (AIC). This two-day event, featuring nationally-recognized children’s authors, includes assemblies and workshops for more than 1,000 first through sixth grade Chelsea students. But, this event is not just for students, as we welcome our entire community to meet all three authors in an evening event. Whether you are an aspiring author, or just a lover of youth literature, this event is for you.

Working with North Creek Elementary students this year is Dr. Theanne Griffith, neuroscientist and children’s book author of The Magnificent Makers series. Sports writer and contributing author of the popular children’s Who Was/Who Is series James Buckley Jr. will be visiting third through fifth graders at South Meadows Elementary. Beach Middle School sixth grade students will have the opportunity to work with National Bestselling author Katherine Arden. Arden authored the series Small Spaces, spooky books for middle graders that have received starred reviews from prestigious publications like Kirkus.

Classrooms in each school have been provided with more than 300 copies of their visiting author’s books. These books allow students and teachers to prepare for each author’s visit and will become a permanent part of their classroom libraries. The purchase of these books was made possible through a grant from the Chelsea Education Foundation and support from the Friends of the Chelsea District Library. Each author’s books are also available in a variety of formats for checkout at CDL.

In addition to their time in the classrooms, this year’s distinguished guests will be featured at An Evening with the Authors, which is open to the public and free of charge. The event will take place on Tuesday, March 15, at 6:30pm in the Washington Street Education Center Board Room located at 500 Washington Street, Chelsea, MI. Don’t miss this exclusive opportunity to hear each author share their journey into the world of writing, participate in Q&A sessions, and get your books personally signed by the authors. Books will be available for purchase courtesy of local Chelsea bookstore, Serendipity Books. The first 20 families to arrive will also receive a free book.

For further information about the Authors in Chelsea program, please visit chelseadistrictlibrary.org/authors-in-chelsea/.