Dear Educators and Parents,

I hope your summer is off to a happy start! I need to catch my breath after my new middle grade fantasy novel, Skyriders, launched in March. My sincere thanks to all the folks who came to my signings in Colorado and Texas. I also truly appreciate all you enthusiastic librarians who stood in my signing line at TLA, and you wonderful educators who hosted me at sixteen different schools throughout April and May.

For all you parents who would like to get your kids reading this summer, I’m hearing from happy moms and dads that Skyriders, much like The Neptune Project, is such an exciting story that kids are racing through it in one or two days. So…

Don’t forget that audio books can also be a terrific way to get kids hooked on books. Summer road trips are a fabulous time to share a book as a family. Emily Woo Zeller did such an amazing job performing the audio edition of Skyriders, she made me laugh, and she made me cry!

I had a wonderful time at TLA reconnecting with librarians and educators who had hosted me in the past. The Texas Tea, in particular, was such great fun! Authors traveled from table to table, meeting with librarians from all over the state.

I’m thrilled (and amused) to be on an author panel at Fan Expo (formerly Comic Con) in Denver on July 1, sponsored by the Rocky Mountain Chapter of Society of Children’s Books Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). I won’t be a character from Star Wars or Star Trek (shucky darn—no Spock ears for me) as I’m supposed to dress up as one of my own book characters. I’m struggling a bit to create a chestnut flying horse worthy of Fan Expo, but I hope to triumph in the end!

I’m also honored to be on the faculty of the RMC SCBWI Letters and Lines Conference in Denver Sept. 9-10 where I’ll be teaching about agents and world building. I will also be presenting at NCTE in November.

If you do have a child or teen at home who is interested in writing, summer is a terrific time for them to pursue a hobby that could turn into a career someday. These are two of my favorite how-to books for young writers.

A former classroom teacher, I love doing school visits. I already have several booked for the fall, but I have time for a few more in October and November and next spring. Here is a lovely testimonial from a librarian who hosted me in April.

"Polly's presentation and workshops were terrific. She did a wonderful job of sharing her writing process and getting the kids excited about creating their own stories. Following her visit, even some of my most reluctant readers began sharing books they're working on. We can't wait for Polly's next visit."
—Libby Creamer, Teacher Librarian, Soda Creek Elementary, Steamboat Springs, CO

If you would like to read more about the various programs I offer, please check out the school visit section on my website. If you would like to host me, please contact Sarah DeVore at hownowbooking.com.

That’s it for now. I wish you all a happy, healthy summer full of good reads!

Warmly,

Polly Holyoke