Children’s Book Author, Illustrator Will Speak on Oct. 19

10/05/2010 

Suzanne Bloom, nationally known children’s book author and illustrator, will lecture and demonstrate on the topic of literacy education and children’s books on Tuesday, Oct. 19, at SUNY Cortland.

The recipient of the American Library Association’s 2006 Theodor Seuss Geisel Award for the most distinguished American book for beginning readers, she will give two consecutive talks at 1:15 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. in the children’s reading area of the Teaching Materials Center on the first floor at Memorial Library.

Sponsored by the Campus Artists and Lecture Series (CALS), Friends of the Library, and the Education Club, the event is free and open to the public.

Bloom, of McDonough, N.Y. will discuss the importance of children’s books in writing, reading and speaking and in helping children understand and respect cultural, linguistic and ethical diversity.

She writes children’s books with characters inspired by youngsters she has met. Since 1988, she has visited schools to talk about her work.

“How fortunate I am to be able to place beautiful art in the hands and hearts of children,” said Bloom, who also sculpts paper mâché, designs and creates wooden toys and renders architectural drawings.

She is the author and illustrator of books including “We Keep a Pig in the Parlor (1999),” “A Family for Jamie: An Adoption Story (1991)” and “A Splendid Friend, Indeed (2005).”

For details about Bloom’s program, contact Lorraine Melita, librarian and coordinator of reference and instruction at SUNY Cortland, at (607) 753-4009.