McKissack Christmas Story

Authors: Patricia C. McKissack,
Fredrick L. McKissack
Illustrator: John Thompson

From Publishers Weekly
On a Virginia plantation in 1859, the slaves work hard to get the Big House ready for Christmas, and to prepare their own Quarters for the “Big Times” also. As they describe the goings-on during the weeks before Christmas as well as the actual rituals of the day, the McKissacks carefully and convincingly delineate the discrepancies between the two milieux-from the physical settings to the people’s differing appreciations of the holiday’s riches. The contrast is startling and stirring. This is a book of significant dimension and importance, and could be read at any time of year. The authors also add riddles, rhymes, recipes and copious notes. Rendered in acrylic on board, Thompson’s remarkably realistic paintings are charged with emotion and masterfully tie together the book’s diverse contents. Ages 8-13. Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

build with books

“Writing has allowed us to do something positive with our life experiences. We try to enlighten, to change attitudes, — to build with books.”

Award winning author Patricia McKissack has two videoconference series starting in February- To Establish Justice and Creative Writing. To Establish Justice is for middle school through high school students, and Creative Writing caters to all ages. Each is a three part series, with Pat meeting with teachers during the first session and working with students in the last two sessions on their writing. Students will be able to interactive over videoconference with the author to gain valuable information about the writing process and how real authors work to create and publish their work. To sign up for any of Pat McKissack’s videoconferences, contact Rebecca Morrison at Cooperating School Districts: rmorrison@csd.org.

new links for elementary students

Last week was Pat McKissack’s first connection with elementary students in the Ritenour School District. Topic of discussion: creative writing. It was the students’ first videoconference and Pat’s first of the school year.

Their follow up session is December 16, when the kids will share their work with Pat- and their peers! It’s always fun to hear what kind of stories the students come up with.