Last night I was the guest speaker at the Sacramento Area Reading Association’s annual Writers’ Showcase. Fifty contest winners attended (with their parents and teachers) representing schools from all over the Sacramento area.

This was an exciting crowd of young writers! First we talked about How Writers Write, a short talk I prepared drawn from the habits of the more than 100 children’s authors and illustrators I have interviewed.

During the awards portion of the ceremony, each winner was called to come to the front of the room to be individually recognized. I had the good fortune to shake the winners’ hands and share in the pride and joy of their achievements. What a fabulous testament to how important good books and good stories are to our lives!

Thank you to SARA and to all the students, parents, and teachers who place a high priority on reading and writing. Bravo!

(If you attended the event, and have some pictures to share, please send them to me. I will post them on my blog!)