News Details (Posted: November 29, 2006):

THE WORLD IS FULL OF STORIES

Full Description:

Jack Gantos, author of the "Happy Birthday, Rotten Ralph" recently visited the Ocotillo Elementary School and finds a copy of his book. The smell of "1,000 hands" on his book delighted him.

Gantos, who enjoys being around kids, talks to sixth-graders, in particular believing that kids at that age have thier interest for reading starting to wane.

Children of the Ocotillo School were urged by Gantos urged the kids to keep a journal and write frantically in it for 10 or 15 minutes a day--something that he did when he was in sixth grade after reading his sister's diary.

Gantos told them to write about what they know, start by drawing a map of their neighborhood, fill it in with its houses, residents and events--big and small. He stresses that anything that happens, anything they feel, see or hear about can be turned into a wonderful, magical story.