Over the course of two days in late April, fourth and fifth graders from across the top of Virginia packed Shenandoah University’s 600-seat Ohrstrom-Bryant Theatre to hear from award-winning children’s authors at the Shenandoah University Children’s Literature Conference’s annual Rally for Reading.
Books for Everyone!
This year, day one of the event featured appearances by Katherine Applegate and John Schumacher, known as Mr. Schu, and day two showcased Schu and Kate DiCamillo. Both Applegate and DiCamillo are winners of America’s highest children’s literature honor: the Newbery Medal. Applegate received hers for the novel, “The One and Only Ivan,” while DiCamillo has received two, for “The Tale of Despereaux” and “Flora & Ulysses.”
Every child attending from public schools in Winchester and Frederick, Clarke, and Fauquier counties received free books from Applegate and Schu and DiCamillo and Schu, depending on the day attended, courtesy of support from the Claude Moore Charitable Foundation, said Shenandoah University Children’s Literature Program Director Karen Huff, Ed.D.
Writing Advice From Kate DiCamillo
While all of the authors shared stories about their lives, as well as their love of reading and of words and the worlds they create, DiCamillo offered something a bit more – some tips on how to be a writer.
First, read. It’s the greatest gift to be able to understand yourself and the world, she told a theatre full of fifth-graders.
Next, write. The ideas won’t come out the right way the first time, and that’s OK, she said.
Then, rewrite. Stories are often messy and imperfect. Rewriting makes them better. She said she rewrites every novel eight or nine times. Schu added that he did six drafts of his book, “Louder Than Hunger.”
Keep a notebook that’s just for you. She said her notebook reminds her that as a writer, everything is her business. Her job is to pay attention – all of the time. Watch people. Earlier in her talk, she quoted the writer Flannery O’Connor, who said, “The writer should never be ashamed of staring.”
Start stories with a question. Ask, “What if?” “Why not?” “Could it be?” For example: What if a dog gets into a grocery store and is knocking the produce all around and a girl finds him? What if a mouse saves a princess? (Hint: Those questions led to the plots of two of her novels – “Because of Winn-Dixie” and “The Tale of Despereaux.”)
Understand that you’ll be rejected. Sometimes, a LOT. She received 473 rejection letters for “Because of Winn-Dixie,” which went on to sell 11 million copies. You make up your mind about the work you want to put into the world by not giving up, she told the amassed students. Her persistence, for example, led to a writing career that’s still going strong. “Anything can happen,” she said, “if you don’t give up.”
She, like the other authors, spoke as part of a cheerfully raucous event that included Shenandoah’s mascot Buzzy; a student band singing a version of Sister Sledge’s “We Are Family,” with a change to the lyrics – ”I got all my readers with me,” replacing “I got all my sisters with me” – and remarks from Shenandoah President Tracy Fitzsimmons, Ph.D.
John Schumacher, an author and librarian known as Mr. Schu, and author Kate DiCamillo at the Shenandoah University Children’s Literature Conference’s Rally for Reading in Ohrstrom-Bryant Theatre.
What Reading Truly Means
“It’s an amazing opportunity for the kids,” said Shenandoah elementary education student Patrick Orender ’26. He and fellow elementary education student Alexis Ripkin ’27 said the event shows the power of books and their impact on students in a world in the midst of a literacy crisis evidenced by low test scores in reading, struggling readers, and phone and computer screen distractions. Reading, “works your brain,” Orender said. “You can’t work your brain watching videos, 24-7.”
Shenandoah’s 40th Children’s Literature Conference
The Rally for Reading kicked off an entire season of exploring children’s literature and the writers and illustrators who create it. All of the rally authors also participated in Shenandoah Children’s Literature Conference virtual author visits for classrooms around the country, beginning a series of such virtual visits from other authors and illustrators, which runs through June 9. Some virtual presenters include Mary Pope Osborne (“The Magic Tree House” series), LeUyen Pham (“Best Friends”), and Minh Lê (“Lift”), among others.
From June 26-28, the Children’s Literature Conference will host its in-person segment at Shenandoah University, with appearances by authors and illustrators like Peter Brown (“The Wild Robot”), Deborah Heiligman (“Charles and Emma”), Jarrett J. Krosoczka (“Lunch Lady” series), Dan Santat (“Beekle”), and so many more. Educators can also earn graduate credits by participating in both the virtual and in-person conference events.
