Media Contact: Lindsey Goudreau, Marketing Communications Specialist (207) 443-8330 | lgoudreau@cityofbath.com
Bath, ME (December 3, 2021) – Lauren Tarshis, author of the New York Times Bestselling series I Survived paid a virtual visit to Woolwich Central School students on Wednesday. Tarshis and children’s book illustrator Lisa Bronson Mezoff shared their new picture book, Only My Dog Knows I Pick My Nose, and answered student questions about the process of creating a book.
“This is our first virtual author visit this year,” said librarian Abby Luchies. “I was very excited to get her because she’s so well-known. I follow a lot of authors and illustrators on Twitter, and when she mentioned she was looking for opportunities to share her new book with students, I reached out to her right away.”
Although the 2nd grade students who attended the virtual presentation were too young to have read Tarshis’s I Survived series, Luchies prepared them with a presentation about the Connecticut author and showed them a trailer of her new book.
“I celebrate authors and illustrators as heroes. For our students to meet someone like Lauren or Lisa in person is a privilege, and helps motivate them as readers and writers,” Luchies said.
Tarshis and Mezoff introduced themselves to the room of excited 2nd graders. Tarshis explained that Only My Dog Knows I Pick My Nose was inspired by her own children’s relationship with their poodle, Roy.
“The story is based on the idea that the dog knows lots of things about the child that no one else knows,” Tarshis said. “Broadly speaking, it’s about having dogs or people or friends in your life who love you no matter what.”
During the question-and-answer period, many students were curious about what Tarshis and Mezoff do when they make mistakes. “What happens if your paper rips while you’re drawing?” asked one. “What happens when you color using the wrong color?” asked another.
Mezoff and Tarshis said they have both made their share of mistakes.
“I think, sometimes, we make a mistake and it feels like failing. But we’re here to tell you that it’s important to try again even if you make a mistake,” said Tarshis. “And sometimes you make a mistake but it leads you to something even better than what you had planned.”
Luchies has a copy of Only My Dog Knows I Pick My Nose available in the WCS library. She said she hopes interest in Tarshis’s picture book will “be a nice bridge” to chapter books as her 2nd graders hone their reading skills.
Photo: Second graders at Woolwich Central School meet virtually with award-winning author Lauren Tarshis