Anna Meets The Author, Marianne Malone

The author of The Sixty-Eight Rooms and Stealing Magic: A Sixty-Eight Rooms Adventure, Marianne Malone, came to Meadowview Elementary School today. Last year, Anna's 3rd/4th grade Literacy Enrichment class studied and read The Sixty-Eight Rooms book and were also fortunate enough to go visit The Art Institute of Chicago.

There are 68 miniature rooms on display as part of the Thorne Miniature exhibit at the Art Institute of Chicago. The 68 rooms, largely created and commissioned between 1933 and 1937 by Chicago socialite Narcissa Ward Thorne, showcase European, American and Asian interiors and furnishings from the 17th century through the 1930s.

More recently, the rooms have served as inspiration for author Marianne Malone's two books. She shared with us today that there will be a third book coming out next year called "The Pirate's Coin". There will be a fourth book, too, since she is contracted to write that many. I enjoyed attending the school and seeing her presentation.

I purchased both books for Anna so she could have them signed by the author. Instead of having the books written to her, she asked the author to write them to the James Family. So inside each book she wrote, "To The James Family, Enjoy! Marianne Malone".

I love that my children have had opportunities to meet various authors. I know our whole family enjoyed it when Brandon Mull came to Meadowview last year. We owned all of his books and Clinton, Benjamin, and Anna had read most of them. They definitely read all of the books in the Fablehaven series. I took separate pictures of him with Clinton, Benjamin, Anna, and Justin. I don't believe 3rd grade and younger participated in the assembly.