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Author Tim Smith has breakfast with AIS students
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Neighbors| Elise McKeown Skolnick.Jaycie Kalna enjoyed meeting "Buck Wilder" book series author Tim Smith at a breakfast at Austintown Intermediate School Jan. 14.
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Neighbors | Elise McKeown Skolnick.Buck Wilder, a.k.a. Tim Smith, spoke to students at a breakfast at Austintown Intermediate School Jan. 14.
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Neighbors | Elise McKeown Skolnick.Lisa Swift (left) and her son, Ethan, looked forward to meeting "Buck Wilder" book series author Tim Smith Jan. 14.
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Neighbors | Elise McKeown Skolnick.Abbigail Yavorsky posed by a pretend campfire at a breakfast with "Buck Wilder" author TIm Smith at Austintown Intermediate School Jan. 14.
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Neighbors | Elise McKeown Skolnick."Buck Wilder", a.k.a. Tim Smith, gave a copy of one of his books to students at a breakfast at Austintown Intermediate School Jan. 14.
By ELISE McKEOWN SKOLNICK
The Austintown Intermediate School gymnasium was transformed with a campsite and red-checked covered dining tables to welcome Tim Smith Jan. 14.
Smith, the author of the “Buck Wilder” book series, spent the day talking with students about his books. The book series gives readers an introduction to a variety of natural resources and outdoor pursuits.
Smith started by sharing breakfast with a group of students and their guests. Participating students were chosen by their teachers. Each could invite a family member or other adult friend.
“We wanted to inspire some kids to read,” said Kim Freisen, language arts coach.
The “Buck Wilder” books can be incorporated into the curriculum at different grade levels, she said. The language arts teachers wanted to increase interest in non-fiction among the students with Smith’s visit.
“Because as we move more toward the common core [academic content standards] there’s a more specific look at non-fiction and the students have to be able to read non-fiction,” Freisen said.
Ethan Swift, a third grader, invited his mom to the breakfast.
He was excited to have breakfast with Smith. Swift particularly liked the campsite set up in the gym. Though he’s never read the “Buck Wilder” books, he said he would like to now that he’s met the author.
His mother, Lisa Swift, also liked the event.
“I think it’s a great outreach for the students,” she said. “And hopefully it’ll encourage [Ethan] to read the books and get interested in reading a little more.”
Smith gave each student at the breakfast an autographed copy of his book “Who Stole the Animal Poop?”
Smith also told the students a story about a shark he caught on a fishing trip when it ate the fish on his line that he’d just caught. He realized he had something on his hook as big as he, but stronger.
“Who caught who?” he laughed. “I never want to catch a big fish again in my life.”
That story will be the basis for his next book, he told the students.