Some students at Perry County School District 32 will soon have the opportunity to meet one of their favorite authors.
New York Times bestselling author April Henry will visit Perry County Middle School on April 10. This visit is made possible by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services in partnership with school libraries at the Perry County, Windsor, Dunklin, and Northwest School Districts.
Ms. Henry is the author of many acclaimed mysteries for adults and over 15 novels for teens, including the bestselling Girl, Stolen; Girl Forgotten, which was an Edgar Award winner, a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection, and a Tome Student Literacy Society It List Selection; Two Truths and a Lie, which was a YALSA Top Ten Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers; and The Girl I Used to Be, which was nominated for an Edgar Award and won the Anthony Award for Best YA Mystery.
“We are so excited about Ms. Henry’s upcoming visit to PCMS,” said Librarian Heather Baskin. “While she’s here, we will hold an assembly where she will talk to students about the writing process, why she started writing, and how she gets ideas for books.”
Librarian Mrs. Heather Baskin
Ms. Henry’s YA (Young Adult) novels are a hit with the 6-8 Graders at PCMS. “She is the most-often borrowed book in the genre of thrillers/mysteries, and has been for years,” said Mrs. Stephanie Bohnert, library aide. “I have just started reading her books myself and am enjoying it.”
Mrs. Baskin said that Ms. Henry’s books are very tense. “Her stories always feature a teen who encounters a mystery or tragic event of some sort and must solve the mystery or crime,” Mrs. Baskin said. “The action is intense. One thing I’ve noticed is that the stories are of survival, and that you can learn a great deal from the characters’ struggles.”
Sixth-grader Jayla Pryor said, “I like reading murder mystery books, and my mom likes to read them (April Henry’s books) with me so we can talk about them.” Her favorite April Henry Books are The Lonely Dead and The Body in the Woods.
Seventh-grader Delilah Adams said, “The books are scary, but there is also some romance, and I really like how she combines those two things. They just go together perfectly.” Delilah’s favorite by the author is Playing with Fire.
Eighth-grader Addelynne Kirn said, “I like how suspenseful (her books) are. She’s really good at slowly revealing clues. She’s a good writer.” Her favorites by the author are Two Truths and a Lie, The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die, and The Lonely Dead.
Mrs. Baskin said that many special activities are leading up to the author’s visit, and that the staff have joined the fun. “Teachers have volunteered to record themselves reading the first chapter of her novels, and students are watching those videos twice a week in community time,” she said. “That is generating even more interest in the books. We have digital copies available, and extra paperbacks of her novels have been donated so that students don’t have to wait so long to check them out. When students read a book and pass the AR test, their name is entered into our drawing to serve on the April Henry Welcome Committee. That group will have special seating at the assembly and get to spend a little extra time with the author.”
The week of the event, the staff and students will participate in an April Henry scavenger hunt that will feature questions about the author and her novels.
“Each activity is designed to build excitement and familiarize students with the books so they can get the most out of Ms. Henry’s visit to PCMS,” Mrs. Baskin said.
While the YA novels are aimed at middle- and high-school readers, adults also read Ms. Henry’s work. “This would be a great opportunity for parents and family members to read with their students,” Mrs. Baskin said. “When you read the same book, you can have great conversations and develop a shared interest.”
You can learn more about April Henry and her books at aprilhenry.com.