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 Angela
Johnson's five-day residency at Goddard Riverside
from March 12-16, 2001, commenced with meeting energetic
first and second graders who are part of Goddard's after-school
program. In preparation for Angela's visit, each reader
received a copy of the author's book Daddy Calls
Me Man.
Angela was met with endless questions from the participants. She answered
them tirelessly and listened to their impromptu short
stories. Questions included, "Do you have brothers and
sisters?" "Do you like your brothers?" "Why do you write?"
Angela also had the participants draw a cat, a mouse,
and a dog having a party. She wanted to demonstrate
to the readers that pictures also tell stories.
Angela's next meeting was with 35 three and four-year olds at Goddard's Day Care Center. Copies of Angela's book Julius were given to the young readers in preparation for her visit. Their bewilderment with Angela's presence turned to "ooohs" and "ahs" when she pulled out her copy of Julius and began to read to them. She had the group draw pictures of Julius, who was a flying pig. The youngsters imitated a flying pig and began flapping their arms.
When another group of 35 four and five-year olds met Angela, they were aware that she was the author of When Daddy Calls Me Man. They didn't mind that Angela re-read the book to them. She discussed why she wrote and they told her that they couldn't write yet, but that they liked stories and books. The participants also drew pictures about themes in the book. Many of the children came to realize the connection of personal experiences and writing.
 Angela
conducted two workshops with 20 fourth and fifth graders,
who are part of Goddard's After school program. Even
though there were many questions from the participants,
Angela managed to have them write poems and short stories
during the time allowed them. The readers were eager
to read and perform their work not just for Angela,
but also for their peers. Angela wrote "the children
recited poetry that they'd only just written by rote
only a short time before." Their teacher was truly surprised
about how many seemingly shy students blossomed during
Angela's time with them. One participant raised her
hand and said, "I have decided to become a writer."
Young readers were not the only participants meeting Angela. About fifteen senior citizens were treated to an afternoon poetry reading. Angela read from her book, The Other Side-Shorter Poems. The seniors were more than engaged; they were intellectually challenged, introduced to many forms of poetry, and motivated to read poetry on their own.
Time was arranged for working parents who had children
enrolled in Goddard's Day Care Center or After-school
programs to meet with Angela for an hour. Approximately
thirteen parents shared with one another how they arranged
time to read to their children and ways they encouraged
children to read on their own. One parent who is working
and attending college said that she read her philosophy
book to her two children in an animated voice. When
she asked did they understand, they would answer, "Yes
mommy." Angela related to the parents that her mother
was instrumental in encouraging her to write when she
was young. Any time she complained about her younger
brothers pestering her, she was given paper and a pencil
by her mother and told to write about it.
The public event was attended by about 30 of Goddard's
after-school students. Angela read to them and answered
their questions. She also gave them the opportunity
to stand and recite or perform their poems and short
stories. As parents came to pick up their children,
many would sit down and speak to Angela about her life
as a writer. Some confessed, as if they were speaking
to an old friend, that they enjoyed reading their children's
books. Others revealed that they themselves take time
to write because it enlivens them.
Books written by Angela were
donated by the National Book Foundation and given to
all of the participants to keep, courtesy of the publisher,
Scholastic.
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