MILLSTONE – Elementary school children in Millstone Township recently had the opportunity to meet with a New Jersey author.
On May 18, author Wendy Mass visited the Millstone Township Elementary School as part of an event organized by reading specialists Nicole Filippone and Colleen Henkin and funded by the Millstone Township PTO.
Filippone and Henkin said Mass was selected to visit with pupils because she is a New Jersey author, in addition to having national bestsellers and books translated into 22 languages around the world. Mass was born in Livingston, Essex County, and resides in Sparta, Sussex County.
Third grade pupils read “Space Taxi: Archie Takes Flight,” the first installment of Mass’ “Space Taxi” series which depicts the adventures of a boy named Archie Morningstar in a taxi that services aliens across the universe.
Fourth and fifth grade pupils previewed “The Candymakers,” which tells the story of four children who are chosen to participate in a national competition to create the best new chocolate.
According to Filippone and Henkin, Mass told the pupils what inspired her writing career and offered advice on how to craft stories on their own. One pupil from each fifth grade classroom had a chance to meet Mass and ask her questions.
Mass later met with the Phearless Phragmites Phighters, a problem solving group led by Beth Topinka and Jennifer Modula, and she visited Meghan Olah’s third grade class while the students were taking art instruction with Dan Locandro and making “Space Taxi” inspired vessels out of clay.
Pupils had the chance to pre-order Mass’ titles, including the “Space Taxi” series, “The Candymakers,” the “Willow Falls” series and her most recent book, “Bob.” About 300 copies of her books were purchased by the pupils with the help of Lori Matlow of Barnes and Noble in Freehold Township, according to Henkin and Filippone.
“The students and staff thoroughly enjoyed having author Wendy Mass at their school for the day,” Henkin and Filippone said. “It was a memorable experience sure to inspire the young readers and writers of the Millstone Township Elementary School. Having met the author, we are seeing kids highly motivated to read her books. Some are even going out to buy more titles.”