Two Authors. Four Schools. A Week Full of Stories.
Pedro Martín at Virginia Cross Elementary
Seeing Yourself in a Story
What happens when students meet an author whose stories feel a little bit like their own?
For 4th- and 5th-graders at Virginia Cross Elementary and Siler City Elementary, a Sept. 24 visit from author and illustrator Pedro Martín offered a chance to find out.
Martín, author of the graphic memoirs Mexikid and Mexikid Dreams, shared stories from his childhood, including memories of picking strawberries with his family, and he showed how his own experiences, family, and culture found their way into his books.
For many students, those stories felt familiar.
“Students at VCE were very excited to learn from an author that has experiences they can relate to,” said 4th-grade teacher Nichole Pfuhl. “It’s several days later and my students are still seeking out his books, talking about the author, and asking when he’ll write a new book.”
The timing couldn't have been better. Students at both schools are currently reading Esperanza Rising. While the novel is very different from Martín’s memoirs, it also explores themes of family, identity, culture, migration, resilience, and the experiences of immigrant and farmworker communities. Martin’s visit gave students a chance to connect what they were reading in the classroom with an author's lived experiences.
CEF also partnered with Student Action with Farmworkers (SAF), which provided both schools with educational resources about farmworkers in North Carolina. The materials helped students connect the experiences represented in Esperanza Rising and Martín's stories with communities much closer to home.
Martín didn't just tell students about his work—he showed them. Students watched him draw, got a glimpse inside his studio, and heard about the process of turning ideas and experiences into books.
Virginia Cross 4th-grader Sophia Amezquita Ruiz enthusiastically summed up Martín’s visit: “I'm already finished with Mexikid Dreams. I read it 24/7 after I got it. I like how he put his actual family in the book. His book and the talk were both inspiring.”
Derrick Barnes at J.S. Waters School
Your Story Can Be a Story, Too
Less than a week later, 3rd-5th graders at J.S. Waters School and 4th-6th-graders at Bonlee School got a different kind of lesson in storytelling from award-winning author Derrick Barnes. He shared how the things you already love and care about can become stories of their own. Using his own love of sports as an example, he introduced students to the newest book in his Who Got Game? series, Who Got Game? Football, and talked about how his love of books and writing began when he was a child.
His message gave students a chance to see writing not simply as something they do for an assignment, but as a way to tell stories about the subjects, experiences, and ideas that matter to them.
Barnes also shared his love of hip-hop and how the music we hear every day can inspire the stories we tell. In his picture books, such as I Am Every Good Thing, that influence shines through in their rhythm, storytelling, and themes of identity and empowerment.
Beyond his books, Barnes made a personal connection with students. "Derrick was super down-to-earth and relatable and had such a cool way of interacting with students," said Heather Bochicco, Chatham Reads Program Specialist, who attended the visit. "When students had the chance to ask questions, he made sure each student introduced themselves and felt heard."
That connection wasn't lost on the students. Bonlee 6th-grader Colton appreciated how Barnes drew inspiration from his family. “I really liked how he shared all about how much he loved his family, and how his family inspired him to write his books,” he said. “I learned a lot of new things and I'd like to read his sports books and learn more.”
Madilyn, a Bonlee 4th-grader, particularly enjoyed Barnes' mix of history and humor. “I thought it was really inspiring how he explained the history of football and the things we don't really know about it. My favorite part was when he told us about the ring lost in the couch—that was really funny! And he was really kind.”
Books to Keep the Inspiration Going
Thanks to the generosity of our community, many students also went home with books of their own.
We are incredibly grateful to McIntyre's Books, which brought these opportunities to our schools and collected donations to help purchase the authors’ books for students. A special thank you also goes to Intrepid Build, which sponsored books specifically for Virginia Cross Elementary students—and previously built and installed the school’s Little Library. With donations, CEF was also able to provide several copies of Barnes’ I Am Every Good Thing to J.S. Waters and Bonlee.
Together, that generosity put nearly 200 copies of Martín’s and Barnes’ books directly into students' hands.
And sometimes that's where the real magic of an author visit happens: a student recognizes part of themselves in a story, discovers a book they can't put down, or begins to wonder whether a story of their own might be worth telling.
Pedro Martín; Johanna Albrecht, McIntyre’s children’s book buyer; Heather Bochicco, Chatham Reads Program Specialist; and Kathy Havens, Chatham Reads Program Manager