New Readers Theater Script for Edgar Allan’s Official Crime Investigation Notebook!

A huge thanks to all the librarians, teachers, parents, and great students who made the Children’s Literature Festival of the Ozarks such a special event.

Quotes: “My class really enjoyed your presentation today! Your story touched a few of my kiddos who are afraid of making mistakes in their writing. Hopefully hearing your experience will help them fight that fear in the future. Thank you!” Ashley Harris

“One of my teachers came in this morning to tell me how much her students enjoyed your presentation… She said they listened very intently when you spoke of losing your mom and how difficult that was and how your poured all of that into your writing. That was powerful stuff for her kids! That was great, but even better was that you chose one of her students and called him to the front of the group. That engaged all of those students immediately and she said they were intent on every word for the rest of your presentation. Thank you.”
Karen Martin

“Mary Amato kept her student audiences engaged through every session of our Children’s Literature Festival. With a brief personal account she taught them the value of learning to write in school—without the children even realizing they’d had a lesson! The importance of each part of story development and also editing was shown through the fun of audience involvement. There was no formulaic “when I got published”, etc., but the students became authors, acting out and improving on their own stories. Most enjoyed was her singing (and guitar accompaniment) of one of her original songs from Guitar Notes. Mrs. Amato was warm, affirming and enthusiastic and the audience reacted in the same way.” Ruth Spargo

Wow. The students, staff, and parents of Burtonsville ES (MD) were fantastic hosts for author day! I loved meeting everyone and so enjoyed all the stories we created together during the assemblies. Big thanks to everyone, especially media specialist Patricia Warnock-Safford for coordinating my visit. The flowers, cookies, lunch, and beautiful displays were so heartwarming.

Thanks to all the students, staff, and parents of Saint Anastasia School in  Newtown Square, PA, for hosting me on Author’s Day. I loved being with each grade level…so many bright faces, so many great questions, and such fun improv! Thanks to Kathy Zito, parent volunteer, for all her work in coordinating the visit.

What an honor to be a part of St. Andrew’s Episcopal School’s Young Authors and Artists Festival. I enjoyed reading students’ stories and seeing their art, speaking with them about writing in assemblies, and meeting staff and students. Thanks to the parents’ association for providing the funding and to Library Director Anne Macdonell for expert coordination.

Check out the mini Mary Amato books students in Ms. Levenson’s class made me!

Great prep was done by staff to make sure students were ready for my visit.

I worked with kids from preschool all the way up to sixth grade. Check out the cute clothespin giraffes from the little ones.

Keep reading and writing and doing lots of art, St. Andrew’s!

It’s always a thrill to walk into a classroom and see a sign that the classroom has been inspired by my book Please Write in This Book to start a classroom journal.

I had a wonderful residency teaching mystery writing at Bannockburn Elementary and noticed this sign in Ms. Obstgarten’s room.