3-9-11 SCASL 2011 Welcome basket in my room

Friends:

I’ve had some technical difficulties with my photos from my new camera so I only have a few shots on this blog from my iPhone. Last week, on Thursday and Friday, March 10 and 11, 2011, I was a featured author and speaker at the SCASL (South Carolina Association of School Librarians) conference. I was picked up at the airport by Drucie Gullion and Angie Bardin. They were so sweet and so much fun! When I arrived at my room, a welcome basket was waiting. Very classy!

On my first day of the conference, my first workshop was “Story Safari,” a workshop about the basics of storytelling. It was hilariously fun, especially the storytelling exercise in which groups had to act out animals in dire situations such as the one below.

3-10-11 Story Safari workshop participants acting out three animals stuck inside a boat adrift at sea

At the SCASL Awards luncheon, I was amazed by the incredibly gorgeous “vases” in the middle of the tables. They were vases made out of books that were handcut to look like vases! WOW!

3-10-11 Gorgeous handmade book vase centerpiece

After taking an amazing workshop on “Handmade Books” by Susan Gaylord, it was time to sign autographs. My friend, the amazing Kitt (“Kee-yit”) Lisenby, was at the head of the line. She is such a wonderful person!

3-10-11 Dianne's autograph line

My second workshop of the day was my “Tangram Tales” workshop. I taught the workshop participants how to create Tangram sets without a pattern, how to manipulate the geometric shapes to create pictures, and how to perform a “Tangram Story Theater.” They even invented new Tangrams!

3-10-11 Gorgeous handmade book vase centerpiece

On Day 2 of the conference, I delivered a talk at the Author’s Award Luncheon on how important libraries have been in my life and ended with the story of “The King’s Advisor,” from Handmade Tales. The talented author and illustrator, Joe Kulka, was awarded the Picture Book of the Year award. What a great guy!

3-11-11 The audience at the SCASL 2011 Author Awards Luncheon

I connected with old friends (Thanks Kitt, Jed & Kristen!), made new friends (Drucie, Angie, Susan, Joe, and so many others), and had a fantastic time. Thank you SCASL for honoring me with a return visit!

Until next time…

Warmly, Dianne

Valerie Byrd Fort, Dianne de Las Casas & Amanda LeBlanc, The Red Hot Mamas of SCASL 3-12-09

Friends:

I had an amazing time in Greenville, South Carolina at the 2009 South Carolina Association of School Librarians (SCASL) Conference. Valerie Byrd Fort (President), Amanda LeBlanc (Conference Coordinator), Kitt Lisenby (Past President, Betty Davis Davis (one of my hostesses), Lena Lee (one of my hostesses), and so many other media specialists made this one of the best library conferences I have ever attended. They made me feel welcome and loved!

Teacher Librarians cut "Joseph Had an Overcoat" in Handmade Tales Workshop 3-11-09

My first workshop (“Handmade Tales”) was on the morning of Wednesday, March 11, 2009 as part of the SCASL preconference. I had a great time with the librarians cutting, folding, drawing and telling Handmade Tales.

These librarians are "STARS" in my book! 3-11-09

My afternoon session was “Story Fest: Reading Comprehension through Story Theater.” It is a fun, active workshop that has the participants role-playing and dramatizing stories.

Teacher Librarians dramatize a role in my Story Fest workshop 3-11-09

Here are some more pictures of the group acting up! LOL

Teacher Librarians "act up" in Story Fest workshop. hahaha 3-11-09

It was a blast to see them let go of their inhibitions and have a great time. The workshop culminated in the librarians acting out two stories (I divided the room in half). The first group performed “Sausage Nose,” a Swedish folktale.

Teacher Librarians dramatize the story, "Sausage Nose" in Story Fest Workshop 3-11-09

The created their flavorful story choruses while the storytellers rehearsed. Then they put it all together.

"Sausage Nose" story chorus cheerleaders in Story Fest workshop 3-11-09

The second group performed “The Ant and the Grasshopper,” an Aesop fable.

Teacher Librarians dramatize the story, "The Ant and the Grasshopper," in Story Fest workshop 3-11-09

The story chorus for “The Ant and the Grasshopper” got down with their flavorful hip-hop rap.

"The Ant and the Grasshopper" story chorus in Story Fest workshop 3-11-09

On Thursday, March 12, 2009, I did two breakout sessions, “Tangram Tales,” and “Tell Along Tales.” Tangram Tales was well-received and the librarians loved combining the math of Tangrams with stories.

Teacher Librarian does a Tangram boat on her computer! 3-12-09

Here is another Tangram, the “organic” way…

A Candle Tangram in Tangram Tales workshop 3-12-09

I didn’t get any pictures from my Tell Along Tales workshop! But my room was packed to capacity. I received lots of compliments on all my workshops. I also told The Cajun Cornbread Boy at the awards luncheon and afterward, my book, The Cajun Cornbread Boy, sold out. I autographed a lot of books at this wonderful conference! It was a pleasure and an honor to do so.

Children's Book Authors Dianne de Las Casas, Phil Bidner & Dan Yaccarino have fun at dinner 3-11-09

One of the many highlights of my trip was meeting fellow children’s book authors, Phil Bidner & Dan Yaccarino. They are wonderful guys and so much fun to be around.

"Mice on Main" art installation with "Goodnight Moon" in front of Hyatt Hotel in downtown Greenville, SC 3-12-09

Here is a picture of one of my favorite people from the conference – Kitt Lisenby. Kitt (Kee-Yit) taught me how to speak South Carolinian. Add a couple of syllables to every word and draw it out. I loooooove you, Kee-yit! LOL In addition to Southern speak, I had the best Southern food like fried green tomatoes! Yum!

I can’t wait to return to SCASL. I just love those librarians! Thank you all so much for making my trip to South Carolina so special!

Until next time…

Warmly, Dianne