2007 Newbery Honor Book Award Winner Kirby Larson to Attend Scholars Week at Western Washington University
and Visit Sunnyland Elementary
Bellingham, WA —April 28, 2009—Students in Bellingham will get a special treat this May when award winning author Kirby Larson visits. Larson is the keynote speaker at Western Washington University’s Scholar Week Program, May 21, 2009. In addition to the keynote presentation, she will be speaking to the North Sound Student Reading Council on May 20, 2009, from 4-7pm . Larson also looks forward to visiting with Brian Pahl’s third grade class at Sunnyland Elementary. She attended Sunnyland as a second grader and was touched to hear from the school that the entire class had read Newbery Honor book Hattie Big Sky.
During the month of April, Larson will be visiting schools in Doha, Qatar, and Beirut, Lebanon. “I am looking forward to a great adventure. Hattie Big Sky is taking me to amazing places,” said Larson. In addition to writing, Larson has been doing workshops and presentations for schools for nearly 20 years. Her presentations encourage creative writing and imagination and are appropriate for school age students as well as adults. Larson’s book, Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship and Survival, released in 2008. Co-written with her good friend, Mary Nethery, it is the true story of a cat and dog whose friendship helped them survive Hurricane Katrina. For more information check www.twobobbies.com. Larson and Nethery will release, Nubs, The True Story of a Mutt, a Marine, and a Miracle, this fall.
For more information on Scholars Week check www.wwu.edu/depts/scholars/.
ABOUT – Hattie Big Sky
The story, inspired by Kirby’s great-grandmother, is about 16-year-old Hattie Brooks and her drive to prove up on a claim in eastern Montana in 1918. The book’s received praise from Newbery Medal winning author, Karen Cushman; acclaimed author, Candace Fleming; and actress Jane Kaczmarek; was honored with the 2007 Montana Book Award, in addition to receiving a Newbery honor award, and has been nominated for more than a dozen state young Reader’s Choice Awards. The title was also a Junior Library Guild selection; School Library Journal named Hattie a Best Book of the Year, Starred review: School Library Journal, Starred review from Booklist. For more information, visit our website at www.hattiebigsky.com or contact Michele Kophs, Event Coordinator, at 360.597.3432.
ABOUT – Two Bobbies
About 140 dog years ago, Mary and Kirby met at a writing conference. Right away they discovered many things in common: they both had cats, sweet tooths, and a passion to write books for children. Since that first meeting, the two friends have written many books on their own. Mary’s titles include the forthcoming The Famous Nini: The Mostly True Story of a Plain White Cat Who Becomes a Star! Kirby’s titles include Hattie Big Sky, a 2007 Newbery Honor book and The Magic Kerchief.
Two years ago, they decided to try collaborating on a book. They were pretty sure the story would involve animals but that was all they knew. Then Hurricane Katrina hit. Mary watched CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360 and learned about Bobbi and Bob Cat. “When I saw that interview,” said Mary, “I knew the Bobbies’ story of friendship and survival was a story of hope for all of us.” She called Kirby right away. “It was easy to say yes,” said Kirby. After going to Louisiana and Mississippi to help with the clean-up and rebuilding efforts, “I wanted to use my writing skills to bring attention to the overwhelming needs of the Gulf coast region,” she said. Both Mary and Kirby agree that the story of Bobbi and Bob Cat, animal best friends was the perfect one for them, human best friends, to tell. The authors are donating ten percent of their proceeds to Best Friends Animal Society.
ABOUT – Nubs, The True Story of a Mutt, A Marine, and a Miracle
Nubs, an Iraqi dog of war, never had a home or a person of his own. He was the leader of a pack of wild dogs living off the land and barely surviving. Nubs' life changed when he met Marine Major Brian Dennis. The two formed a fast friendship, made stronger by Dennis' willingness to share his meals, offer a warm place to sleep, and give Nubs the kind of care and attention he had never received before. Nubs became part of Dennis' human "pack" until duty required the Marines to relocate a full 70 miles away -- without him. So began an incredible journey that would take Nubs on a dangerous desert trek to find his friend and would lead Dennis on a mission that would touch the hearts of people all over the world. Nubs and Dennis will remind readers that friendship has the power to cross deserts, continents, and even species. Available in bookstores fall 2009.
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