SUBSCRIBE
SUBSCRIBE
SLJ Blog Network +
  • 100 Scope Notes
  • A Fuse #8 Production
  • Good Comics for Kids
  • Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog
  • Teen Librarian Toolbox
  • The Classroom Bookshelf
  • The Yarn
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About/Contact
  • *Best New Books*
    • Annual Best Lists
  • Reviews
    • One Star Review
    • Nonfiction
    • Toon Reviews
  • Articles
    • Authors
    • Link Du Jour
  • Covers
    • Covering the Newbery
    • Cover Curiosity
    • Unfortunate Covers
  • News
    • Books on Film
    • Morning Notes
  • Newsletter

March 8, 2016 by Travis Jonker

Instagramming an Author Visit: Ruth McNally Barshaw

March 8, 2016 by Travis Jonker   9 comments

Window decorated:

RMB Window

SCROLL TO KEEP READING THIS POST

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

Signs created:

And hung:

RMB Signs

RMB Signs 2

Gift bag assembled. (Thank you Niki (a.k.a. Daydream Reader)):

RMB Gift Bag

Student book orders procured:

RMB Books

Let’s do this.

RMB Marquee

Yesterday author/illustrator Ruth McNally Barshaw visited our school. It was a good day.

HavePenWillTravel

Way back in aught eight, I read, loved, and reviewed Ellie McDoodle: Have Pen Will Travel (I forgot how nuts that review was – here’s to looking back!). Fast forward eight years, and there she was at our school.

IMG_9681

She got right down to business, drawing with students:

RMB Kids

RMB Kid 1

RMB Kid 2

She hit on all kinds of stuff. She talked about her childhood, and how a caring art teacher changed her life by giving her a journal. She talked about her writing/drawing process, and how it’s all about revision. She showed some works in progress, and some ideas for kids to run with on their own.

She also enlisted the crowd to help create a story that she illustrated (at amazing speeds).

RMB Story

She even played us an Irish folk song on her oversized ECHO harmonica:

ECHO

(Why did I not get a video of this?!?!)

It was a wonderful day – thank you Ruth McNally Barshaw for stopping by.

RMB Thank You

Filed under: Articles

SHARE:

Read or Leave Comments

About Travis Jonker

Travis Jonker is an elementary school librarian in Michigan. He writes reviews (and the occasional article or two) for School Library Journal and is a member of the 2014 Caldecott committee. You can email Travis at scopenotes@gmail.com, or follow him on Twitter: @100scopenotes.

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

February 2023

Notes on January 2023

by Travis Jonker

January 2023

Your 2023 Caldecott Comment Card

by Travis Jonker

January 2023

Who's Published the Most Newbery Winners in the Last 25 Years?

by Travis Jonker

January 2023

2023 Caldecott Medal Predictions

by Travis Jonker

January 2023

The Ten Most Eye-Opening Caldecott Books of All Time

by Travis Jonker

ADVERTISEMENT

SLJ Blog Network

100 Scope Notes

Sydney Taylor Blog Tour: THE TOWER OF LIFE by Chana Stiefel and Susan Gal

by Travis Jonker

A Fuse #8 Production

“… A relationship of reciprocity with the Earth.” Diana Sudyka Discusses Her New Picture Book, Little Land

by Betsy Bird

Good Comics for Kids

Haley Newsome on Unfamiliar | Interview

by J. Caleb Mozzocco

Heavy Medal

What’s Coming in 2023, A Feedback Poll, and Goodbye for Now…

by Steven Engelfried

Teen Librarian Toolbox

Wednesday Books Showcase: May Through August 2023 releases

by Amanda MacGregor

The Classroom Bookshelf

The Classroom Bookshelf is Moving

by Erika Thulin Dawes

The Yarn

A Book 25 Years in the Making: Marla Frazee Visits The Yarn

by Travis Jonker

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Articles on SLJ

Three Picture Books to Celebrate Black History

4 Middle Grade & YA Nonfiction Titles to Help Heal the World

15 Short & Sweet Love Stories for Tweens and Teens

24 Audiobooks To Encourage Ongoing Activism and Social Justice

Looking for a Book to Read Aloud? These Classics Made the Hall of Fame.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Candy Gourlay says

    March 8, 2016 at 3:44 am

    Wow! What a wonderful way to document an author visit!

  2. Kristin Lenz says

    March 12, 2016 at 11:23 am

    So fun to see Ruth here! I’ve been to a few of her presentations – so fun and inspiring for kids.

  3. Teresa Crumpton says

    March 12, 2016 at 11:53 am

    Wonderfully rich report re: Ruth! Fortunate children to hear her Ruth speak. They’ll remember it all their lives.

  4. Shutta Crum says

    March 12, 2016 at 12:40 pm

    Well, of course, you’d have a wonderful day with Ruth! She’s da bomb! Plus, what a great way to document it all for your school. And for Ruth–hopefully, she’ll point folks your way to show what a great job she does. I know I will point out this posting to schools when they ask me for recommendations! Yay, Travis! Yay, Dorr Elem. and SLJ for highlighting it!!!

    Shutta

  5. Ruth McNally Barshaw says

    March 12, 2016 at 3:08 pm

    Thank you, thank you, thank you.
    Charlie and I had a great time visiting your and Niki’s schools.
    And I very much appreciate these kind comments.

  6. Ann Finkelstein says

    March 12, 2016 at 3:56 pm

    How fun is this. I love the student drawings. Ruth’s presentations are wonderful.

  7. Elizabeth McBride says

    March 13, 2016 at 12:34 am

    We had a marvelous time with Ruth McNally Barshaw at our elementary school too! She visited several years ago and we still remember the drawing, the stories, her unbelievable journaling, and how wonderfully accessible she was to our students! She answered all their questions, inspired them to write and draw, and to find the stories in their own lives. I only wish I had done such a good job documenting the event! Travis, your photos are wonderful!

  8. carrie pearson says

    March 13, 2016 at 7:47 am

    I still have the drawings I made when Ruth and Charlie visited Peter White Library in Marquette, MI many years ago. Her welcoming spirit and sense of adventure encouraged all of us — even the stick figure artists — to try. I know she impacts children this way too and in the process, gives them lifelong gifts.

  9. Kathy Higgs-Coulthard says

    March 14, 2016 at 12:24 pm

    I love, love, love the photojournalism feel of this article. Perfect way to capture Ruth too! Her presentations are so visual and immersive for students.

ADVERTISEMENT

Archives

  • Author/Illustrator Blogs

    • Erin Stead Illustration
    • Hey, Rabbit!
    • James Preller's Blog
    • MATTHEWCORDELLBLOGS
    • Mo Willems Doodles
    • The Scop
  • Book Blogs I Like

    • A Book and a Hug
    • A Fuse #8 Production
    • A Kids Book a Day
    • A Year of Reading
    • Abby (the) Librarian
    • Awful Library Books
    • Becky’s Book Reviews
    • Better Book Titles
    • Book-A-Day Almanac
    • Bookends
    • books4yourkids.com
    • bookshelves of doom
    • Bottom Shelf Books
    • Calling Caldecott
    • Caustic Cover Critic
    • Chad C. Beckerman
    • Charlotte’s Library
    • Cheryl Rainfield
    • Chicken Spaghetti
    • CHILDREN’S ILLUSTRATION
    • Collecting Children’s Books
    • Cybils
    • EarlyWord
    • educating alice
    • Finding Wonderland
    • For Those About to Mock
    • Good Comics for Kids
    • Good Show Sir
    • GottaBook
    • Great Kid Books
    • Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog
    • Hi Miss Julie!
    • Jen Robinson’s Book Page
    • Kidsmomo
    • Maria T. Middleton Design
    • Nerdy Book Club
    • Neverending Search
    • Nine Kinds of Pie
    • One Book, Two Books, Old Books, New Books
    • Out of the Box
    • Oz and Ends
    • PlanetEsme
    • Read Roger
    • Reading Rants!
    • Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast
    • sharpread
    • ShelfTalker
    • so tomorrow
    • The Children's Book Review
    • The Miss Rumphius Effect
    • Uncovered Cover Art
    • Waking Brain Cells
    • Watch. Connect. Read.
  • Library Blogs

    • ALSC Blog
    • Blue Skunk Blog
    • librarian.net
    • LISNews
    • Stephen's Lighthouse
    • Tame The Web: Libraries and Technology
    • Tame The Web: Libraries and Technology
    • Unshelved
  • Follow This Blog

    Enter your email address below to receive notifications of new blog posts by email.

    This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

    This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

    Primary Sidebar

    • News & Features
    • Reviews+
    • Technology
    • School Libraries
    • Public Libraries
    • Age Level
    • Ideas
    • Blogs
    • Classroom
    • Diversity
    • People
    • Job Zone

    Reviews+

    • Book Lists
    • Best Books
    • Media
    • Reference
    • Series Made Simple
    • Tech
    • Review for SLJ
    • Review Submissions

    SLJ Blog Network

    • 100 Scope Notes
    • A Fuse #8 Production
    • Good Comics for Kids
    • Heavy Medal
    • Neverending Search
    • Teen Librarian Toolbox
    • The Classroom Bookshelf
    • The Yarn

    Resources

    • 2022 Youth Media Awards
    • The Newbery at 100: SLJ Celebrates the 100th Anniversary of the Award
    • Special Report | School Libraries 2021
    • Summer Reading 2021
    • Series Made Simple Spring 2021
    • SLJ Diverse Books Survey
    • Summer Programming Survey
    • Research
    • White Papers / Case Studies
    • School Librarian of the Year
    • Mathical Book Prize Collection Development Awards
    • Librarian/Teacher Collaboration Award

    Events & PD

    • In-Person Events
    • Online Courses
    • Virtual Events
    • Webcasts
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Subscribe
    • Media Inquiries
    • Newsletter Sign Up
    • Content Submissions
    • Data Privacy
    • Terms of Use
    • Terms of Sale
    • FAQs
    • Diversity Policy
    • Careers at MSI


    COPYRIGHT © 2023


    COPYRIGHT © 2023