- By Dan Veaner
- Around Town
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The talk was a mixture of humor, biography and advice laced with real life examples. He advised students to use their own experience, research, "what ifs" and observations, and told how he used them to write his own books. Using plenty of humorous examples, he shared his experiences as a published author. "I love stuff that's funny," he told the students.
Mr. Korman, a native of Quebec, wrote his first book when he was 12 years old for a coach who ended up teaching seventh grade English. It was published by Scholastic, which published many of his other books as well. Hyperion Press publishes other of his stories. Over his (so far) 25 year career he has written about 55 books. He claims to have wanted to be a dog when he grew up, at least when he was two years old. His wife went to Cornell, but this was his first visit to the area.
Middle school kids are engaged by Gordon Korman
He has written eight series as well as individual stories. Series include Macdonald Hall, Dive, Everest, Island, Slapshots, Nosepickers and Monday Night Football Club. The newest adventure series, "On the Run," is about a brother and sister who become fugitives so they can prove their parents, who have been framed and convicted as spies, are innocent.
This visit is a gift to Lansing by Susan Rosenkoetter, a passionate advocate of reading. Ms. Rosenkoetter, a retired librarian, regularly gives time and money to provide books and reading experiences to Lansing's youth (see the December Star of the Month). She is hosting the event, paying expenses for the author's visit and presentation, preparing preparatory activities for students and arranging the events.
Mr. Korman will speak twice at Lansing High School on Friday (12/02). Ninth graders were required to read several of his short stories and one of his novels to prepare. Students were given the opportunity to order his books, which were delivered at the assembly so they could have them autographed. He says the Lansing kids were well prepared for his visit. He credits the librarians and English teachers. "Kathy McHugh was the point person, but I think there's a kind of level of influence on a kid, day to day, that a classroom teacher has that no one else has," he says. "Obviously people bought into this program all the way through in this school. I think it made an incredible difference for those kids."
Ms. Rosenkoetter's choice of the author is calculated to get students excited about writing, because Mr. Korman's first novel was written when he was 12 years old and published when he was in his first year of High School. She had heard him speak at a few conferences so she was confident he would go over well with Lansing students. "He's perfect, because he writes for grades three through nine," she says. "It's hard to find a person that appeals to boys and girls and can write for all three schools.
He told Middle School students of the track and field coach who was given his first English class to teach. Unprepared for the experience, he told his students to spend the periods from February to the end of the school year writing. Mr. Korman spent the time writing his novel, then submitted the book, "This Can't be Happening at MacDonald Hall," to Scholastic, which accepted and published it. It became the first installment of his first series.
Mr. Korman told students they can find ideas for new stories in unexpected places. He cited using F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby" as the inspiration for "Jake Reinvented." He said that Gatsby couldn't get the girl unless he was rich enough, so what if Jake couldn't get the girl unless he was cool enough?
Signing books after the assembly
The assembly responded to his humor, and he engaged the kids' imaginations. In the question and answer session no fewer than 20 hands were raised at any given time. Students asked what his favorite books were when he was a kid, would he ever write a book about technical stuff, how long it takes him to write a book and many other questions. (Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and the Great Brain series; possibly, but he would have to research the tech stuff; six months for a novel and three for a series book.)
Gordon Korman and Susan Rosenkoetter at the Federal House in Ludlowville
Friday afternoon Ms. Rosenkoetter hosted a reception for Mr. Korman at the Federal House in Ludlowville.. English/Language Arts teachers, school administrators and the Board of Education were the invited guests.
Corey Dake, a sixth grader, was Ms. Rosenkoetter's mother's great-great nephew. He will introduce Mr. Korman at the Elementary school tomorrow. "My mother would have loved that," Ms. Rosenkoetter says. She would likely have loved the whole event. The Middle School students were clearly engaged from the moment the program started.
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