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Middle school author goes on book tour around district schools promoting newly-published book
A third-grade student at Benner Elementary School waited patiently until the gymnasium cleared and she had her chance to meet Annie Cernuska, a Bellefonte Area Middle School student who recently wrote a book and got it published. Calling herself a "big fan," Riley Benedict, was able to introduce herself and learn a little bit about her new role model during brief one-on-one time.
“She’s really cool and I like her a lot,” the 8-year-old said. “I’m actually really nervous to meet her.”
Annie went on a book tour around the four elementary schools in the Bellefonte Area School District to help introduce her book, "The Hunter Voyage," to students who would likely be reading it. She started at Pleasant Gap Elementary School and made her way to Benner, Bellefonte and Marion-Walker elementary school. She was accompanied by reading intervention specialist Katy Haagen who was instrumental in helping Annie get her work published.
The presentation started with a short video about how she got the chance to write a book and get it professionally published. She then read a couple chapters from the book to two groups of students at each school starting with kindergarten to second-grade students and third- through fifth-grade students. That was followed by a question-and-answer session that allowed the students to ask Annie questions – many who wanted to know what happened in the rest of the book.
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When asked what group of students Annie enjoyed interacting with the most, she said, “all of them.”
“I like the kindergarteners and younger kids because they’re really excited and I like the older (students) because they ask some good questions,” she said.
She even gave other students tips to use when writing, which included being open to coaching and editing, saying, "they're not there to make you feel bad, but rather help you improve your work."
Annie will hold a book-signing event from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 18 at the Bellefonte Area High School library. Author and publisher Stephen Kozan will also be there. He owns the Harrisburg-based publishing company that published Annie’s book, “The Hunter Voyage.” Copies will be available for purchase by check or cash.
*To read more about Annie’s book and the opportunity to be published, visit this link: https://www.basd.net/Page/14157
*By Brit Milazzo, public relations director, BASD
