BY TALI ISRAELI
Staff Writer
JEFF GRANIT staff Children’s author and illustrator Judith Caseley visited the Frank J. Dugan Elementary School, Marlboro, and during her talk she drew a sample of her characters for the youngsters. MARLBORO – Children’s author and illustrator Judith Caseley writes about real life issues such as divorce, stage fright and bullies.
On Jan. 11 Caseley returned to her New Jersey roots during a visit with pupils at the Frank J. Dugan Elementary School, Topanemus Road.
In 21 years as an author Caseley has had 40 books published, including “On the Town: A Community Adventure,” “Mickey’s Class Play,” “Praying to A.L.” and “Field Day Friday.”
The author said she uses events from her life or the lives of her children as inspiration for her books.
“All the little things are the big things in children’s lives and that’s why I write about them,” Caseley said.
According to her Internet Web site, Caseley writes about feelings she has experienced as a child such as love, jealousy, fear and joy.
Joan McNamara, PTA chair of the author day event, said the school has been preparing the children for Caseley’s visit since the beginning of the year. The children have been reading her books, learning about her life and replicating her illustrations in art class, McNamara said.
She said Caseley’s main objective is to get the children to write their own stories.
During her visit with the pupils, Caseley told the youngsters that “life is a story, just write about it. Get ideas from real life because that’s where I get my ideas from.”
One of Caseley’s favorite books is “Bully” because it is based on her son’s experience with a bully who stole his cookies at lunch.
The book “Mama Coming and Going” was written about Caseley’s mishaps as a mother which include locking her then infant in the car, taking her daughter to a birthday party on the wrong day, and thanking her aunt for a gift she (the aunt) never sent, according to the Web site.
Caseley wrote the book “Sisters” about an adopted sibling after reading a letter from a girl who was waiting for her new sister to come from China.
Another book that was written after receiving a letter from a child is about a boy Harry who has no left hand. Caseley said the letter she received was from a girl in a wheelchair who said she did not want to be treated like she was special.
The author said she enjoys meeting with elementary school pupils because they are her subject matter.
“If I see how they interact, it gives me ideas,” Caseley said.
The author, who used her children for inspiration in many books, said that since they have grown up she has to go to the source by visiting youngsters in school.
“It also gives you energy to see how they react to your books,” she added.