Stephanie LeMonde'
Events
Walk for a Cure May 11th, 2008Place:12th Annual Mothers’ Day Wide Waters Marina Breast Cancer Walk
Lockport, New York 14094
Date:May 11, 2008
*Help instill a love of reading in others by bringing a new or gently used book for donation to a host of charities.
Time:11am-4pm
Details: Come and join over 500 participants in the two mile walk around the scenic Erie Canal. The Hot Country Line Dancers perform to get everyone “pumped up” for such a worthy cause. There will be a Chinese auction with well over 200 baskets along with other items. There will be tee-shirt giveaways, and Senator George Maziarz will be giving away bags. The walk is the sole supporter of the “Wig Room” which provides free wigs to anyone undergoing treatment. The Misty Forest will be one of the items available in the Chinese auction, and I will be joining in the walk to stomp out breast cancer. After the walk, I will be signing copies of The Misty Forest.
Bring your stuffed animal and join in on the fun! April 19th, 2008Place: Barnes & Noble
Address: 4401 Transit Road Suite 800 Clarence, New York 14221
Date: April 19th, 2008
Time: 11:30 am
Details: Bring your stuffed animals and imagination! Stephanie LeMonde' will be reading from her children's chapter book, The Misty Forest on April 19th. There will be lots of fun as she is inviting her young friends to interact as she reads from the book. There will be time set aside for author signings too!
Barker second grade read along. March 28th, 2008Place: Place:Barker Free Library
Address: 8706 Main Street Barker, NY 14102
Date: March 28, 2008
Time: 12:15pm - 1:15pm
Details: On March 28, 2009, the 60 second grade students from Barker Elementary school will be walking through thee town of Barker to the Barker Free Library. Once in the library, I will be spending an hour with them as I read stories from The Misty Forest, and gather ideas from the children for additional stories. I am very excited as this is my small town library. I hope that the sun will be out that day!
School visit April 4th, 2008Place: Oakfield-Alabama Central School
Mrs. Julie DerSarkissian's class
Address: 171-7001 Lewiston Road Oakfield, NY
Date: April 4, 2008
Time: 9:00 am till ????
Details: On April 4, I will be reading The Masked Bandit and possible a friend of a Different Smell to the 17 students in her class. She will be reading Running Deer meets Grumpy Bear to the children in advance, so that they will be are familiar with the characters. I am excited about joining Julie in her class because not only is this as wonderful reading experience for me, Julie is my next-door neighbor! During the summer, her beautiful flowerbeds are so bountiful with color. She always wears a large smile, and is a warm and friendly person. I am sure that I will have a wonderful time!
Book signing in Barnes & Noble, Clarence, NY, April 19th, 2008
My time spent at Barnes and Noble was wonderful. As I read to the children, the story was very interactive. We had Grumpy Bear limping, Running Deer stomping on Orange root, and Peanut throwing nuts at a very grumpy Grizzly! What made story time even more special was that my 2 daughters Arika and Jeannette were present with Jeanette's husband Larry. My grandchildren, Jarame, Emma and Mathias also came to hear me read. Naturally Jarame sat next to me. After story time, I had a book signing. Jarame sat on my lap and greeted customers as they entered the store. Jill was a wonderful hostess, and invited me back in the fall!
Mrs."D's" Classroom Visit, April 4, 2008
What a wonderful visit I had when I visited Mrs. D's (as her class calls her) kindergarten classroom on April 4, 2008. As I entered her classroom, I was amazed by the colors and decorations. Stuffed animals sat comfortably on the piano. Potted plants gave her classroom a welcoming air. I gave each child a copy of the characters from Running Deer meets Grumpy Bear, so that they could flip through the pictures to have a visual aid as I read through the story.
To my surprise, the following day, Mrs. "D" gave me pictures that each child drew, along with a wonderful thank you note. This was an unexpected surprise for me!
Visit to Barker Free Library in town Barker, NY March 28, 2008
Old man winter delivered another three inches on the small village of Barker, New York (which sits right on the shore of Lake Ontario) this morning. The temperature was a balmy 28 degrees. The weather did not stop the four second grade classes, sixty children in all, from Barker Elementary school to make the 1/2 mile trek to the Barker Free Library. The cold temperature was no match for the warm greetings that were offered by librarian Lisa Thompson and her mother as the children entered the library.
As I read the first story, Running Deer Meets Grumpy Bear from The Misty Forest, some children eagerly pointed out that they already had the book, but would not spoil the ending. I asked some questions such as if anyone knew how a tipi was constructed, and who was sitting on the tree limb looking down at Grumpy Bear. The children knew the answers!
On a more serious note - Running Deer gets lost in this story, so I asked if any of the second graders had ever gotten lost - almost half raised their hand. One little girl asked if I had ever gotten lost. I answered yes. I was in kindergarten and walked my friend home from school. I made a wrong turn on the way home, and was lost. However, I knew my phone number. I told the children that I went to a Tony the Tiger gas station and the attendant called the police. Because I knew my phone number, they were able to contact my parents. I pointed out the importance of knowing your phone number, and that the police were there to help if ever there was trouble. Happily, they knew their phone numbers! As a mother, a grandma and a writer, I am asking that every parent please make sure that your child knows their phone number and if possible, their address.
Author event at George Southard first grade, Miss Pass class, February 29, 2008
Who was spotted lurking around the halls at George Southard Elementary School today? Why it was Peanut the raccoon! Peanut poked her head into many classrooms as she made her way to read the second story from The Misty Forest called The Masked Bandit! All of the children greeted Peanut with warm smiles as she sat to read the story. Some greeted her by saying Hello Mrs. Wrobel. Peanut was quick to let them know that she was not Mrs. Wrobel for the day but Peanut the raccoon. Jarame sat next to Peanut and flipped through character sketches as Hoot and Spotted Tail were two new characters introduced. After the story was read, each child held a copy of The Misty Forest and told who their favorite character was. Who had more fun - the first graders or Peanut? I would call that one a tie!
February 2, 2008
Area writer publishes her first children’s book
by Kelly Warth
US&J Interm
From left, Jaramé Hoefer,6, with sister Emma, 5, and Marthias, 1 month, sit with their grandmother, Stephanie Wrobel, who wrote a children’s book, “The Misty Forest,” inspired by Jaramé, under the pen name Stephanie LeMonde’.
Local author Stephanie Wrobel of Gasport, who writes under the pen name Stephanie LeMonde,’ recently faced health problems thet resulted in an extended hospital stay and months in a wheelchair.
But Wrobel did not let her physical limitations keep her down. During this time she discovered her love of writing and researching, which has led to the publication of her first children’s book “The Misty Forest.”
Since the book’s publication last fall, it has gained wide recognition. It will soon be required reading for students in the middle elementary school grades in area public schools and is being translated into Spanish.
“I’m finding out by reading to little kids that they really like the book,” Wrobel said. “Their reactions are just the best gift that anybody can ever have.”
The book was compared to classic children’s tales such as “Winnie the Pooh,” “The Jungle Book” and “Dr. Dolittle” by Bouncing Ball Books, its publisher. Wrobel agrees with the comparisons.
The main character, an 8-year-old Native American boy named Running Deer, is gifted with the ability to speak with the forest animals, and must pass tests of bravery on his journey to adulthood. In each of the 10 stories, Running Deer must navigate through a different issue and decision he is faced with using his morals and friends’ advice as his compasses.
Wrobel strongly believes that parents should bond with their children through reading to facilitate learning and imagination. For this reason, she has constructed her stories to be about 13 pages each, so that parents and children only have to take 15 minutes out of the day to read a complete story together.
There is nothing more important than giving a child a book. If they can’t read it, read it to them,” Wrobel said. “It’s the foundation of learning, of life. It’s so important, but kids have forgotten about reading (and have replaced it) with video games.”
Each of Wrobel’s stories has a moral lesson. Running Deer and forest animal characters such as Sassy the skunk, who doesn’t like the way she smells, address issues like self-esteem. In the book, Sassy learns to be happy with who she is and embrace her individuality.
Wrobel admits that most of her ideas came from her grand-son, Jaramé, and thinks that adults can learn a lot from children.
“You have to stoop down to the level of a young kid, you have to listen to them at their level and they really have great ideas,” Wrobel said. Between her grandson’s imaginative ideas and her own research into Native American culture, medicinal plants and many other topics, Wrobel believes she was able to create a book that is both entertaining and “true to form” for kids.
Wrobel read a story from her book to two classes at George M. Southard Elementary School in Lockport last month.
“She read one chapter with great feeling and my young listeners did well and enjoyed the chapter, even though there were only a few pictures for them to look at,” said Amy Moeller, a kindergarten teacher at the school. “I am very impressed with the book and her creativity.”
The older students in Michaela Pass’ first-grade class were more able to relate to the stories, which are best read at a third grade level.
“I thought it was a great children’s chapter book. My students were very engaged during the story and seemed very interested,” said Pass, who is Jaramé’s teacher. “They seemed to relate to the characters because they were animals and were based on Jaramé’s family. We are looking forward to her next story.”
The sequel to “The Misty Forest,” titled “Return to Misty Forest,” which Wrobel is currently finishing and editing, will be ready to begin the publication process by next month.
Wrobel’s writing is not limited to the children’s books genre. She has also written manuscripts for a murder mystery, memoir and fiction story about a boy overcoming dyslexia and facing terrible consequences for a rumor he started, none of which have beem published yet.
According to Wrobel, the possibilities of her future writing are endless.
“I’ve got a very vivid imagination that will just go anywhere,” Wrobel said. “Reading is such a gift – it opens your imagination, it opens the world.”
