Sunday, January 3, 2010

Meet the Author Program


Houston Today
Author meet and greet for First Beaver

By Dawn Potvin - Houston Today
Published: November 04, 2009 5:00 AM

The grade three and four students of Twain Sullivan Elementary were given the opportunity this week to meet and spend the day with a local First Nations author.
Caroll Simpson, who lives at Babine Lake near Granisle, is the author and illustrator of The First Beaver.
This is her first book, which is an adaptation of a number of ‘first beaver’ tales that Simpson has gathered from Canada’s Northwest Coast.
Simpson has taught Native art and drama for many years, and is passionate about sharing stories of geography, art, and the impact of the First Nations people of North America.
“It was wonderful to able to share memories with the kids,” Simpson said. “I was able to show the difference between the Plains and the Northwest Coast First Nations people.”
The day was spent with the children breaking out into groups, and working on totem characters consisting of wolves, humans, salmon, owls, and other characters that would be developed into a story, constructed by the kids themselves.
“The best part of the day was that the kids were able to develop a special bond, and to understand what the true concept of what a ‘clan’ is and what a totem is.” Simpson said. “It was a new experience for them and they really took pride in the story that they developed and portrayed in front of their peers.”
Simpson is in the process of having her second book published, titled The First Mosquito, and she is currently in the illustrating process.

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