Gillispie School Features Author/Illustrator Lauren Stringer at Annual Author Tea Event

La Jolla, California's Gillispie School hosts renowned author and illustrator Lauren Stringer at its upcoming 8th Annual Author Tea Event, February 12 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on the school's campus.

La Jolla, CA (PRWEB) January 31, 2006 -- Sunday, February 12 marks the eighth annual Author Tea at the Gillispie School in La Jolla. Featured this year is acclaimed author and illustrator Lauren Stringer who will present her work at the Gillispie School campus from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

A painter and sculptor, Stringer painted her first children's book, Mud (Harcourt Brace, 1996) in 1994. The book, written by Mary Lyn Ray, won the Minnesota Book Award for illustration, the IRA Children's Choice Award, and Crayola Kids Best Book of the Year Award.

Since then, Stringer has painted illustrations for Scarecrow, written by Cynthia Rylant (Harcourt, 2000); Red Rubber Boot Day, written by Mary Lyn Ray (Harcourt, 2001); Literature and the Child, 5th and 6th editions, written by Lee Galda and Bernice E. Cullinen (Wadsworth-Thompson Learning, 2002 and 2005); Our Family Tree: an evolution story, written by Lisa Westberg Peters (Harcourt, 2003); Fold Me a Poem, written by Kristine O'Connell George (Harcourt, 2005). She is currently working on the illustrations for a story she authored, Winter is the Warmest Season, (Harcourt, 2006).

In years past, the Author Tea drew more than 200 people from the Gillispie community, including parents, grandparents and more than 50 children who typically congregate at the author’s feet with rapt attention. Led this year by parent Jill Skrezyna, the event is produced by a committee of nearly 30 Gillispie parents, who prepare a lovely tea featuring homemade sweet and savory delicacies.

Gillispie students are enjoying the works of Lauren Stringer in the classroom during the months of January and February. Inspired by the book, Scarecrow, written by Cynthia Rylant and illustrated by Lauren Stringer, the early childhood classes are constructing full-sized scarecrows, which will be featured at the event. Art teacher and Gillispie faculty member, Ms. Susan Walters, is leading the students creation of a variety of Stringer-inspired art projects, which include painting rubber boots (inspired by Red Rubber Boot Day), creating large origami (based on Fold Me A Poem), and painting pictures of different creatures homes (Castles, Caves, and Honeycombs). All of these projects will adorn the festivities.

La Jolla’s family-owned Warwick’s Book Store will make copies of Ms. Stringer’s works available for purchase, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the school. Overall proceeds from the eighth annual Author Tea will be used to support new book purchases for the school library. “We greatly appreciate contributions of Warwicks and our community,” explains Dr. Jacqueline Yarbrough, head of school, “though we consider this event a ‘friend-raiser’ not a fundraiser. Its primary purpose is to bring the Gillispie community together to discover the talents of the literary world.”

About The Gillispie School
The Gillispie School is a nonprofit independent school serving children from toddlers through sixth grade, located at 7380 Girard Avenue in La Jolla. Built upon a tradition of more than six decades of service to the children of La Jolla and the greater San Diego community, The Gillispie School’s programs for early childhood and elementary students have established the school as one of the city’s premier educational centers.

The Gillispie School
7380 Girard Avenue
La Jolla, CA 92037
858.459.3773
www.gillispie.org

Photos by Annette Bradbury, La Jolla, CA

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