February of 2020 was the last time I had participated in an in person presentation with teachers and students. Shortly after that, we were all scrambling to figure out how to make meaningful connections using virtual communication tools.
The Plum Creek Literacy Festival was one of the casualties of 2020. It had been pushed off, rescheduled, and retooled. I am delighted to say this past week I was able to take part in the in person Plum Creek Literacy Festival in Seward, NE! I cannot thank Executive Director, Dylan Teut and his team of real life superheroes enough for pulling the whole celebration off. I say celebration because that is what it felt like. After more than a year of not sharing with educators and students in person, there I was stress sweating in front of a room of over 250 students. We laughed, we cheered, I did funny voices...okay maybe it was just me who thought they were funny. It’s hard to describe the feeling of asking a question and having every hand in the room shoot to the ceiling and then have every answer that follows melt your heart. The students were just magic and their teachers were incredibly generous hosts. Who themselves went to incredibly great lengths to pull all the school visits off.
At one point I literally found my self in a tornado of paper airplanes that the students had made based on my book Float beforehand. I was ambushed by sneaky kindness (which is the best kind I think). These first return to face to face school visits will be imprinted on my heart for a long time to come.
I could never have guessed that I was in such dire need of a tangible reminder that reading matters, books matter, and most importantly, book joy matters. The Plum Creek Literacy Festival sure did its work on me. I was exhausted when I left, but much more full than when I started.
Another side to the experience that I didn’t see coming was the amazing fellowship between the bookmakers. Every person that I got to share a meal with, talk book making with, run errands with inspired me deeply. It was comical after awhile. I kept wondering if there would be a lull in it, but there never was. It can be a solitary business making books. Last week I felt lifted up, and compelled to lift others up in turn. I couldn’t have imagined a better group of authors and illustrators to do this with. I know I’ve got some amazing new friends.
Dylan, Dawn, Jeanne, Beth, Marianne, Rose and the rest of the team I can’t thank you enough for making this happen! I hope this week included many naps for you all. You deserve all the naps!
artwork by the wildly talented Amelia, Erica, and Olivia
The staff of the small but mighty East Hill Inn & Suites! You made us feel so welcome!