On Thursday, May 25th we were very pleased to host author Grayson Smith at  South Slope/BCSD.  In our library he presented to all the primary classes over three sessions and read his children’s book, There’s a Norsman in the Classroom.

First, he asked us to think about some of the assumptions we might make about people based on what they look like or what they do.  We found out he was a police officer, but he wasn’t wearing his uniform.  When he asked the students if he looked like a police officer, they said no. However, after he added some elements of his uniform they said yes.  

Next he talked about including and excluding people.  He said we all make choices everyday about whether we include or exclude.  We can invite others to join us in a game or we can say there is no more room for anyone else.  When he read us his book, he stopped and ask the students how they thought the children in the story were behaving. Were they including or excluding? We all enjoyed his storytelling very much.

Finally, Grayson asked if the students had any questions.  We learned that as a police officer Grayson has to be serious, but he loves being an author because he gets to be silly. There were a few questions about Norm, the Norseman. Why does he have a beard if he’s only a kid? There was no real answer to that one except that Grayson didn’t do the illustrations. He told us it only took 2 hours to write the words for the book, but over 18 months to actually make it into a book.  Why so long? He made a mistake on the front page and didn’t notice until it had been printed! His message to the kids, “Always check your work!!!” 

Some of our students won copies of his books at the end of his visit. Part of the proceeds of his book sales goes to the Special Olympics, an organisation close to Grayson’s heart. To order There’s a Norseman in the Classroom or any other of Grayson Smith’s books, please click here.