On September 27th students and community members gathered in Lincoln Auditorium to meet visiting author/illustrator Chris Van Dusen. Chris is a children’s book author and illustrator known for his works Down to the Sea with Mr. Magee, A Camping Spree with Mr. Magee, If I Built a Car, and many more! The event was hosted by UMF’S Association for the Education of Young Children (AEYC).
During the visit, Chris covered a lot of his work, starting with the books he illustrated for in the past, including Kate DiCamillo’s Mercy Watson stories. He then transitioned into discussing If I Built a Car, written and illustrated by Chr
is himself. He went through the planning process of the book, changes his editor wanted to make, and how he moved forward with those changes.
This event was open to UMF students and faculty, as well as members in the community. The audience included professors, faculty, UMF students, parents, and children of many ages. Chris took the time to answer questions and sign autographs for his fans.
When asked if there will be any other visits of this nature in the future, UMF’S AEYC President Ranae Carlson seemed hopeful. “We definitely hope to
have future author events, but for right now, nothing is set in stone,” she said. “We try to make our events applicable to people other than education students but I think anyone can benefit from hearing what authors, specifically those in Maine, have to say! It’s like having a celebrity on campus!”
The UMF Teacher Education program would like to thank Chris Van Dusen, the AEYC, and those who attended for making this such an enjoyable event for all!
