Children’s author Judy Young will be speaking with students at Sporting Hill Elementary on Thursday, October 26. Judy is the author of two dozen children’s poetry, fiction and nonfiction books and has more books scheduled to release soon. Her books have won many national awards and honors. She resides in the mountains near Mink Creek, Idaho, with her husband Ross B. Young, a professional artist who illustrated two of her books.

Judy will spend the day speaking with all grade levels. With kindergarten and first grade students, emphasis will be on her Digger and Daisy Book Series for early readers and will include a group writing activity, in which students help write a Digger and Daisy story with the author.

Second graders will focus on The Hidden Bestiary of Marvelous, Mysterious and (maybe even) Magical Creatures with a “surprise visit” by Basil B. Barnswhitten, the book’s main character. Students will discover clues about the whereabouts of animals hidden in the illustrations and help determine whether the creatures are extinct, endangered or never existed. Then, students will help the author write a poem based on one of the book’s illustrations.

Judy will focus on poetry writing with third graders. As she recites from R is for Rhyme, A Poetry Alphabet, students will learn about different poetic terms, where Judy get ideas for poems, as well as the writing process involved in writing poems and publishing a book. Then, students will try out their own ideas with a group poetry writing activity.

Judy will take fourth grade students on adventures to Denali and Canyonlands National Parks as she discusses the writing process for The Missing Grizzly Cubs and Danger in the Dinosaur Stomping Grounds, both from The Wild World of Buck Bray adventure/mystery series. Students will not only learn how Judy gets ideas for stories but also how she incorporates STEM concepts into fiction writing.

With fifth grade students, Judy will present her Focus on Fiction program which shows how they can get ideas for stories by answering just two simple questions. Using Promise and The Lucky Star, as well as her other historical fiction books, Judy will discuss how she makes her ideas grow into stories as she gives an in-depth look at the process of writing fiction from beginning to end.