It was a great collaboration on February 2, when Wescott School Library Media Specialist Margaret Janavicius and The Book Stall welcomed author and illustrator Matthew Cordell virtually to Wescott’s kindergarten and first-grade classes (and other schools) on World Read Aloud Day!
During his visit, he read excerpts from his new and first chapter book, “Cornbread and Poppy,” and demonstrated to the audience how he illustrated the book's two lovable mouse characters Cornbread and Poppy. The Wall Street Journal's” recent review stated that the book is a “new classic and charming!"
The author has illustrated many books for children including works of poetry, novels, and picture books including "The Only Fish in the Sea" and "Follow That Frog" by Philip Stead. He has written and illustrated numerous picture books himself including "Hello, Neighbor! The Kind and Caring World of Mister Rogers," "Bear Island," and "Wish."
His work has been published around the globe in many different languages, including Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Spanish, French, and Italian.
Mr. Cordell's books have been recognized as Best of the Year selections by the New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Boston Globe, and his first wordless picture book, "Wolf in the Snow," was awarded a 2017 Boston Globe-Horn Book honor award and the 2018 Caldecott Medal. He lives in Gurnee with his wife, author, Julie Halpern, and their two children.
“I am inspired by nature, and take regular walks in the woods to look for animals. Did you know that I have seen muskrats, owls, many birds, coyotes, and even beavers in Gurnee?” Mr. Cordell asked.
He told the children that the owls are hardest to find because they are most active at night, but that they are his favorite bird to search out.
His presentation was followed by a question-and-answer period.
One student asked, “What inspired you to write books?”
“The country life, and the adventures that I had growing up in South Carolina, the friends I made, and paying attention to the wild world around me,” he responded.
Wescott student Kyla asked, “What are some of your favorite books besides your own?
“'Where the Wild Things Are,' 'Sylvester and the Magic Pebble,' and 'The Longest Letsgoboy,'” Mr. Cordell answered.
When asked who his favorite character is in “Cornbread and Poppy,” he said, “The unusual ones, like Old Larry, the pig. I like to draw pigs! Old Larry shows up in both my books and he is grumpy. If I write more “Cornbread and Poppy” books, Old Larry will be there! He’s funny!”
"Since the pandemic began, I have missed visiting schools and seeing students’ smiles and experiencing laughter together, but I am glad we still have a way to connect with each other. It was wonderful that we could also celebrate World Read Aloud Day and read “Cornbread and Poppy” together. I hope to see you all soon!"
“Thank you to the Book Stall and school librarians for this get-together today! concluded Mr. Cordell.
The author’s second book will be coming out in the spring or summer. For more information about the author and to purchase a book(s) go to https://www.matthewcordell.com/
