Author brings stories to life

Soft, pattering rainfall grew to a pounding downpour inside the Oro Grande Elementary School library Tuesday afternoon. But no one got wet because the thunderstorm was simply schoolchildren pounding their legs with their hands to imitate the sounds of a storm.

It was the kind of imagery that children's book author Jennifer Warren evoked as she read passages from her nature publications.

As she motioned the children to end the rainfall, Warren told them that that's how it rains in the desert, fast and furious and then suddenly stopping.

Warren, a Tucson resident who taught elementary school for 11 years before turning to writing full time, said she wanted to inspire children to become writers. “It's hard for teachers to teach writing,” she said. “If kids meet a writer, they may become interested.”

She's had seven nature-themed books for 3- to 8-year-old children published. An eighth is now in production. Judges have given her books many awards such as the Learning Magazine 2006 Teacher's Choice Award for Best Children's Book.

Warren brings the desert vegetation and creatures in her own backyard to life in her stories, such as “The Seed and Giant Saguaro,” that tells the tale of a transported seed growing into a towering cactus. The back of the book is a mini-encyclopedia, showing the slow-growing saguaro through the years.

“It grows only two inches in the first 10 years,” she told the children. “You couldn't even sit in your chair in your classroom if you were that tiny after 10 years.”

One of Warren's most creative efforts is “Forest Bright, Forest Night,” a book that highlights animals who stay awake during the daytime in the sunshine-lit first half the book, and those that stay awake in the nighttime in the dark pages of the second half. Readers must flip the book over and start reading from the back to read the second half.

Warren led children through the writing process for her 32-page storybooks, from the inkling of an idea to the finished glossy pages. She rewrites her stories at least 20 times, scribbling revisions in the margins of her drafts and crossing out lines.

It's OK to be messy like that, she admitted, even though she told her own students years ago to write their notes neatly. The publisher finds an illustrator once the words are set in stone.

She spends about two years writing and revising. “So authors have to be patient,” Warren said. “It's exciting to see a book published after spending all that time getting it ready.”

Oro Grande Principal Rick Morison said Warren's presentations were wonderful, focusing children on the Principal's Writing Challenge he began this month to help children improve their Arizona Instrument to Measure Standards writing scores. “Kids never get to meet the authors who write the books they read,” he said. “I think we have some budding authors here.”

Second-grader Fernanda Rojas said she wanted to be a writer after hearing Warren speak. “No more first grade for me,” she said. “I'm going to learn to write now.” Her teacher, Karen Soderberg, said the presentation came at a perfect time, helping jumpstart her class's beginning efforts to develop their writing skills.

Librarian Sheri Goss, who arranged Warren's visit, said children were familiar with her books because they'd been reading them for several months before her appearance.

“It's very exciting to have her here,” Goss said. “The kids absolutely love her.”

Warren autographed a stack of books that the children and the staff purchased. She will also award a book in the coming weeks to the child who writes the best poem about a hologram in the library.

You may contact the reporter at sdunham@havasunews.com.