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St. Matthew's and St.
Timothy's Neighborhood Center
Upper Manhattan, New York
April, 1995
Photo Credit:
Sandra Wavrick |
Nancy Willard met
with day care children as well as teens and their reading
tutors at St. Matthew's & St. Timothy's Neighborhood
Center in upper Manhattan. Carrying a bag of special
characters that are featured in her books -- from angels
to a wingless bird on roller skates -- Nancy read stories
to the group of completely enraptured four-year-olds.
Then together, they began writing a story about where
the "bird-like creature" had come from and
what he was doing in New York City.
In the afternoon session, Nancy addressed several questions
that the students had mailed to her ahead of time. She
also spoke with the students and their reading tutors
about her own past experience in a remedial math class.
Afterward, she explained and displayed samples of how
a book is put together, from concept to physical construction
by a printer. After reading some of her own stories,
Ms. Willard wrote a collaborative poem with the group
and then invited the students to read their own work.
In 1995, the National Book Foundation
presented three author residencies in City Settlements,
as well as sponsored its Summer Writing Camp in alliance
with United Neighborhood Houses and the YMCA.
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