On April 25, 2012 Newbery award winner Jack Gantos visited the Kent Island Branch of the Queen Anne’s County Free Library. He spoke with students in Mr. Jeffrey Harbour’s 6th-8th grade language arts classes.

Attached are photos from his visit.
In photo: Mr. Gantos shows students the journals he kept when he was their age.
In photo at left: Mr. Gantos discussed the elements of writing and encouraged students to purchase a journal and write for 10 minutes each day about their everyday lives.

In photo above: Kyle Brittingham, a student at Stevensville Middle School, asked Mr. Gantos to sign one of his Joey Pigza books for the school library media center.

In photo at left: Mr. Gantos signs a book from the Joey Pigza series for the Stevensville Middle School school library media center.

The Newbery Medal is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. Gantos won in 2012 for his novel, “Dead End in Norvelt.”

Gantos has written books for people of all ages, from picture books and middle-grade fiction to novels for young adults and adults. His works include Hole in My Life, a memoir that won the Michael L. Printz and Robert F. Sibert honors; Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key, a National Book Award Finalist, and Joey Pigza Loses Control, a Newbery Honor book.

His Kent Island visit was sponsored by Eastern Shore Regional Library in Salisbury.