Photo Karen Graham.
Philip Roy’s message to North Cavan students of environmental stewardship reinforced school curriculum objectives while entertaining his diverse audience.
Award-winning children’s author Philip Roy spent a day at North Cavan Public School where he entertained several groups of students with his thoughtful, friendly presentation. He clearly understands his audience, tailoring his presentation to each age group he met.
His “props” caught the students’ interest immediately. Three original pieces accompanied the author on state: two submarines and a helicopter, all made out of recycled materials: wooden crutches, bicycle wheels, canoe paddles, boat propellers, a meat grinder and lots of bolts.
For the JK to Grade two students, Philip Roy opened the discussion with an explanation about his folk art pieces. He explained how he came to be a writer. As his own children grew out of listening to him read bed-time stories, he found writing new ones.
In a soft-spoken, well-paced delivery, Philip took his audience through familiar tales about Happy the Pocket Mouse in his 28-book picture book series. Students are familiar with the characters in these stories as teachers are reading some selections in their classrooms. Students easily related to the story themes, which included having trouble falling asleep and wanting a pet. He discussed how he came to be a children’s author, his writing process and demonstrated the power of illustrations, which are particularly key for the younger readers.
The accomplished writer from Antigonish has several children’s book series under his belt. His Submarine Outlaw series targets Junior students, and his 30+ picture book series, featuring Happy the Pocket Mouse, appeals to a younger crowd. The messages are thoughtful, offering an age-appropriate environmental message.
Now living in Brockville, Roy keeps his ideas fresh by keeping in touch with his audience through school visits across the country.
The forty-minute presentation concluded with the audience touching the display, although some would have preferred a more substantial investigation of the submarines. KG
