Author Lola Schaefer To Conduct Writing Workshop At Darlington Lower School

Darlington’s Lower School will welcome children’s author Lola M. Schaefer back to campus Oct.4-6 to conduct a writing workshop with students in grades 1-4.

Schaefer, who came to Darlington last year as part of the Lower School’s annual author visit program, is the author of more than 265 books for children, including picture books, easy readers, classroom books and informational texts. One of her first critically recognized picture books, “This is the Sunflower,” was published in 2000. Since then, she has published many well-known titles, including the ALA Notable Children’s Book in the LA Pick, “Pull, Snap! Where Once a Flower Bloomed” (2003) and “An Island Grows” (2006), a Charlotte Zolotow Honor Book.

Her book “Frankie Stein,” published in 2007, was awarded the Children’s Choice Book Award in 2008 and the Mockingbird Award in 2009. “Arrowhawk” (2004), which was selected NSTA’s Outstanding Trade Books for Children, received three different Zena Sutherland Awards for Literature, as well as several state book awards including the Missouri Show Me Award. “Loose Tooth” was honored in 2007 with The Garden State Book Award for Easy Reader. Currently, Schaefer is writing and publishing more books in the “I Can Read” series about a kitten named Mittens for the youngest reader.

In addition to her writing career, Schaefer also serves as a national writing consultant. She travels across the country sharing her love of reading and writing in schools, at conferences and at workshops. For the past 20 years, she has informed and inspired teachers and students on the craft of writing. She shares effective classroom strategies on writing workshop, the craft of writing and genre structures. Schaefer is the author of 10 Scholastic Professional Resource books for teachers that focus on strategies to improve student writing.

Prior to her writing career, Schaefer taught students in grades K-7 as well as graduate-level education classes on the writing process in the elementary classroom. She holds a B.A. and an M.Ed., and is a member of both the International Reading Association and the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Schaefer lives in the mountains of north Georgia with her husband, Ted.

Lola Schaefer during her visit to the Lower School last year