Headline Kids in the News
For Immediate Release
Contact: Headline Books, 1-800-570-5951 / 304-789-3001 email: cathy@headlinebooks.com
Subject: Cats & Kids in the News—Parkersburg, WV Students Author New Book
(Terra Alta)—From ancient Egypt to hospital corridors, cats have provided comfort, entertainment, wisdom and companionship through the ages. One tenacious kitty has adopted a whole school of students and vice versa. The Parkersburg, WV, Franklin Elementary Center cat answers to many names to the delight of the students who attend the school and she has gained such fame to the point the second and fourth graders have written a book about her!
The Cat Has Class! is the result of a proud collaboration of Franklin Elementary Center students, teachers and well known Headline Books children’s book authors, Martin and Delia Wach. It is a story of caring children and teachers adopting a cat who would not stay away.
Working closely with the Wachs—fourth grade teacher Monica Davis, second grade teacher Elizabeth Ellis, and Kathy Bargeloh, Library/Media Specialist, spearheaded the awesome task of keeping the students on track with their stories and on deadline for their publisher, Headline Books.
Delia Bowman Wach, noted artist and author, also worked with the children teaching them how to illustrate their stories for the book. “Authoring a book is something these students will never forget,” said Delia Wach. “They began their book project in November, 2006 and worked throughout the school year on it. Now, not only are they in the news…they are in the Library of Congress!”
During a Headline Kids School Show visit to Franklin Elementary Center November 2006, the Wachs talked with the students about writing and illustrating children’s books and introduced them to their newest book, An Adventure In Writing. The kids were brain storming about what makes a good subject for a book. Nothing seemed to hit home. During lunch time, Wachs mentioned seeing a little house made out of milk cartons outside the school building, and they saw a cat walk into the little house. This opened a floodgate of stories about the “cat who wouldn’t leave” and the rest is history!
School officials and teachers found several wonderful adoptive families for the cat and every time the cat made its way back to the school. Finally, a little house was made for the cat outside and she has been a regular visitor ever since, teaching the students to care for animals, pet safety, and how to help others—not to mention the rare opportunity to work with published authors and write a national release of their own.
Published by Headline Books, a West Virginia company, this is the second “School Book” collaboration between Martin and Delia Wach and an elementary school. The first was Veterans Reign in Their Own Parade with fifth graders from Rainelle Elementary School in Rainelle, WV. The Wachs have visited over 340 schools nationwide and currently have seven children’s books published. They are in the top 2% of best selling children’s book authors in America.
The Cat Has Class! is now available and the students at Franklin Elementary Center will be happy to autograph your copy. The book can be purchased at Franklin Elementary Center in Parkersburg, WV and look for The Cat Has Class! at your favorite bookstore, online at www.headlinekids.com, or Amazon.com. The Wachs and the students will be on hand at Borders in the Parkersburg Grand Central Mall on September 22nd for a book signing. The students will be traveling to book signings throughout the year as their schedules allow and will be featured at the October West Virginia Book Festival in Charleston, WV in the Headline Books booth. For more information and their media schedule visit: www.headlinekids.com.
The Cat Has Class!, ISBN 0-929915-71-2, 9 x 12, Hard Back, 32 pages, full color illustrations.
Retail Price $16.95
[ return to top ]
© 2012 Headline Kids