Award-winning Children's Author Jack Gantos to Visit Local Public Libraries

For the first time ever, residents of Maryland's eastern shore will have the opportunity to meet a Newbery Honor winning author at their public library. Jack Gantos will visit both the Wicomico Public Library and the Talbot County Free Library this May in order to speak to children, parents, and educators about the creative process behind his award-winning books.

Jack Gantos is the author of many books, including the Rotten Ralph picture books and several collections of stories for middle graders featuring his alter ego, Jack Henry. His book, Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key, is a National Book Award Finalist, an ALA Notable Book of the Year, and a School Library Journal Best Book of the Year.

“Jack is a wonderful, hilarious speaker,” says Rachael Vilmar, Information Services Manager of the Eastern Shore Regional Library. “When we were discussing which author we should invite to the region, he was my first choice. I saw him give a presentation in Washington, D.C. last summer, and he had the whole auditorium in stitches. Even children who have not yet read his books will enjoy seeing him in person, because he has a real talent for connecting with listeners.”

Mr. Gantos will give two presentations at each library. During his morning presentations, he will take younger readers behind the scenes to show how a Rotten Ralph picture book is made. In the evenings, he will talk about his books for middle-grade readers, including the Joey Pigza and Jack Henry series. He will also discuss his own creative journey, and how the events in his tumultuous life have influenced his books. Audiences will have the opportunity to speak to Mr. Gantos one on one during the autographing sessions that will follow each program.

The seeds for Jack Gantos' writing career were planted in sixth grade, when he read his sister's diary and decided he could write better than she could. Born in Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania, and raised in Barbados and South Florida, Mr. Gantos began collecting anecdotes in grade school and later gathered them into stories.

While in college, Jack began working on picture books with an illustrator friend. In 1976, they published their first book, Rotten Ralph. Mr. Gantos continued writing children's books and began teaching courses in children's book writing. He developed the master's degree program in children's book writing at Emerson College in Boston, and is now teaching in the Vermont College M.F.A. program for children's book writers.

Mr. Gantos lives with his wife and daughter in Boston, Massachusetts.

Tuesday, May 20 at the Wicomico County Free Library. Programs at 10 A.M. and 7 P.M..

Wednesday, May 21 at the Talbot County Free Library in Easton. Programs at 10 A.M. and 7 P.M..

Autograph session to follow each program.