Video: Children's Book Author Melissa Stewart Visits Hathaway Elementary School

Melissa Stewart, an award-winning author of more than 100 science books for children, visited on Thursday to kick off March into Reading.

March into Reading is a special literacy program being held today, Friday and Saturday at various schools throughout Aquidneck Island.

A free and public event will be held Saturday, March 5, from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Salve Regina University in Newport.

Six authors and illustrators, including Portsmouth's Laura Backman, the author of "Lemon the Duck," will be on hand and speak with readers at Saturday's event. A complete schedule for Saturday's event is attached at right.

Authors and illustrators visiting local schools this week also include Jane Bregoli, "The Goat Lady"; Lorree Griffin Burns; Clara Silverstein; Wendy Watson; and Dyanne DiSalvo.

While at Hathaway, Stewart read from her book "Under the Snow," and spoke to the students about the "editing process." The second-grade class of Liz King also presented a Readers' Theater for the kindergarten classes.

For more on Stewarts' visit to Hathaway, view the video at right.

Stewart, who holds a bachelor’s degree in biology from Union College in Schenectady, NY, and a master’s degree in science journalism from New York University, worked as a children’s book editor for nine years before becoming a full-time writer in 2000. She has written a variety of publications from board books for preschoolers to magazine articles for adults.

She is a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators Board of Advisors and a judge for the American Institute of Physics Children’s Science Writing Award.

For more information about Stewart, visit her Web site here.