Author & Illustrator Kevin Sylvester Gives Life Lessons to Gr. 4s & 5s

Award-winning writer, illustrator, and broadcaster, Kevin Sylvester visited the Grade 4s and 5s. His books include the Neil Flambé series, Gold Medal for Weird, and Sports Hall of Weird. Tara and Maggie tell us about the visit:

On Friday, November the 2nd, the amazing, incredible and astounding author Kevin Sylvester came to York House School. In Kevin Sylvester’s presentation he gave us some life lessons. The lessons he gave us were to learn Spanish, pay attention, do your laundry, be nice, learn to cook Risotto and mix things up.

Kevin Sylvester is not only an author of about 12 books but he illustrates them as well. That is not even Kevin’s main job because he is firstly a sports broadcaster. He has been to the Olympics numerous times as a commentator.

Kevin made a promise about his visit. One was that he would not bore us to death with reading from his book for the entire hour and a half. The paragraphs he read were very short and humorous and we did not get bored.

Kevin also gave us a short comic drawing lesson. The three main points were to be loose, don’t make it perfect and roll your wrists before you start to loosen your muscles.

Kevin Sylvester Drawing
Kevin Sylvester Drawing

At the end Kevin Sylvester gave everyone a free poster and postcard with a drawing and an autograph. With each signature he also gave a little drawing. He put either a penguin with shades and a Mohawk or a cat. If you had ordered any of the books then he also autographed them with a little drawing. For each book he had a specific drawing. For the 1st book he drew a Neil Flambe, for the 2nd book he drew Larry, on the 3rd book he either drew Isabella or a penguin and for the 4th book he drew a dragon.

Kevin Sylvester’s visit was a very memorable event that will be cherished and remembered forever. Thank you Kevin Sylvester and his publishers’ Simon and Schuster.

Tara N. and Maggie C.

The Art of Soapstone Carving

Gr. 3 Soapstone Carving
Click image for slideshow

Local Soapstone Carver Bonnie Gosse has been teaching the art of soapstone carving to our Grade 3 classes for many years.

Soapstone is metamorphic rock largely composed of the mineral talc. It’s called soapstone because of its soapy feel. Originally soapstone was made into oil lamps, pots, kettles, charms and children’s toys. It’s often associated with Northern Canada and Alaska as the inhabitants of the north have used soapstone for traditional carvings.

View the slideshow of the Grade 3 girls working diligently on their soap stone carvings, with direction from Bonnie.

Bonnie teaches the girls how to make their own carvings: