The creative impact of meeting an author or illustrator can be tremendous.

Thanks to a fall Venture Grant, Jonathan Stutzman and Heather Fox, a children’s book author/illustrator team from Lancaster County, recently visited all seven Penn Manor elementary schools to talk about their craft and inspire students to tap into their own creativity.

The $8,400 grant was requested by elementary librarians Nancy Nadig, Grace Painter, and Lori Paules.

The most recent book by Stutzman and Fox, “Don’t Feed the Coos,” has been nominated for this year’s PA Young Reader’s Choice Awards. Their other titles include the popular “Lama” series and “Santa Baby.” The creative team gave four presentations at each school targeting specific grades that gave students a chance to try their hand at writing and illustration.

According to Ms. Nadig, in-person visits like these by authors and illustrators to schools are a way to “create long-lasting memories that foster lifelong reading habits in students.”

PMEF is proud to fund this district-wide initiative, which impacted more than 2,800 students!