Teacher/Author/Illustrator/Jan Koutsky presents My Grandma, My Pen Pal May 1st
"Words, Writers & West Seattle" First Friday book talk sponsored by SW Seattle Historical Society
Teacher/Author/Illustrator/Jan Koutsky presents My Grandma, My Pen Pal May 1st
Fri, 04/24/2015
information from Southwest Seattle Historical Society
Jan Koutsky won the prestigious Teacher's Choice Award from the International Reading Association for her book, My Grandma, My Pen Pal (Boyds Mills Press - April 2002) for its ability to inspire writing between generations of family members. She writes about the special bond that grows between a grandparent and grandchild through letters and visits.
The public is invited to this FREE series from 5 to 7PM on Friday, May 1st, at Barnes & Noble/Westwood Village.
My Grandma, My Pen Pal speaks to a special relationship between a grandmother and her grandchild. Although they didn't live near one another, the two planned projects and shared thoughts, problems, drawings, recipes, and experiences in letters they wrote over the years. Later, the adult child realizes how shaky her grandmother's familiar handwriting has become. After Grandma's death, the now grown woman discovers that her relative kept a memory book of their letters, photos, and postcards, and readers discover the book they have been reading is Grandma's memory book.
Koutsky was inspired by her children's first grade teacher when the children were encouraged to write to important elders in their lives. When Jan saw the note to the parents about the project, she immediately saw this book in her imagination. The drawings, stationary and stamps took a year to create. The loving grandmother/grandchild relationship is recorded in this scrapbook-style memoir.
Koutsky teaches digital fine art at South Seattle College and lives with her family in West Seattle. She is is a member of Northwest Designer Craftsmen.
"Words, Writers & West Seattle's" next FIRST FRIDAY book-talk is scheduled for June 5th and will feature West Seattle author Sarah Alizabeth Fox with her book, Downwind: A People's History of the Nuclear West. Additional information on future presentations can be obtained by calling Dora-Faye Hendricks, Chair, "Words, Writers & West Seattle" by phone at 206-280-9983, or by e-mail at: Dora-Faye@comcast.net.
