I enjoy visiting schools and talking with students about how a novel grows from an idea—a "grain of truth"—to a finished book. 
The grain of truth for The Victory Garden was a secret way my father had with his garden during World War II. We talk about how life is different now from sixty years ago. I use transparencies or PowerPoint slides and encourage questions from the students.
Some schools show me wonderful creative projects and art work related to victory gardens. My photos scarcely do them justice, but do have a look! You can click on each picture to make it bigger.
To schedule a visit at your school, contact Lisa McClatchy of Random House Children's Books at liske@aol.com or telephone (212) 782-9369. She can help you arrange a visit and provide you with an author appearance kit of useful information.
