This has been a big and fun filled summer for Travels with Gannon & Wyatt and the Youth Exploration Society. The Adventure Bus set off from Florida in June, logging thousands of miles as it combed the country from Key West, back up through the eastern part of the U.S., across the midwest and over to the Rocky Mountain region, promoting the series and donating books to libraries along the way.
Here are seven great quotes on writing. When I speak at elementary and middle schools, I tell students that a big part of writing is "rewriting."
Writing Travels with Gannon & Wyatt is an adventure in itself, given all the work that goes into each book.
The series is often described by educators as “realistic fiction.” That means the books are a mix of imagination and reality, or fictional adventures in realistic settings.
Patti Wheeler and Keith Hemstreet visit elementary and middle schools across the country. Conducting research for this adventure series, Wheeler and Hemstreet have traveled to the far corners of the globe. During school visits, the authors tell captivating stories, discuss the writing process, read an excerpt from one of the books, show photos and video from around the world, and explain to students the importance of reading and writing.
March 11, 2014Kona to Mauna Kea, HawaiiWoke at 4 AM because of time change. Still dark. Lie in bed looking out the window. As the sun began to light the sky, Hualalai took shape. I stepped out onto the lanai. A thousand birds sang. The air was warm but pleasant. Little yellow lights like stars still lit the slopes of the 8,275 ft volcano, Hualalai. Somewhere behind it, the largest volcanoes on earth, Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea.
As the flatbed speeds down the interstate, the signing continues. The song the kids sing next is Happy Birthday. Ricky and Shae’s son, Canaan, turns five today. The rendition the kids belt out is as loud and enthusiastic any I’ve ever heard. Canaan is a kind and quiet boy, somewhat shy, much like I was at his age, but I can see that he appreciates the attention. As we turn and bounce down a potholed, dirt road toward the coast, the flatbed truck squeaks and rattles, prompting the kids to sing even louder. Ricky has his hand pressed over Canaan’s chest to keep him from falling over. The birthday boy is jostled back and forth and is grinning from ear to ear.