monique polak

Monique Polak's Books

3 minutes reading time (508 words)

Starting to Feel Like I Belong at Forest Hill Senior!

Today was my second visit to Forest Hill Senior Elementary School in St-Lazare.

I suppose you want me to explain what's going on in today's pic! Librarian Maria Cavaiuolo took the picture during lunch. (There's usually no eating allowed in the library, but she bent the rule for I Love to Read Week!)  The young man in red is Harrison, who was reading a story he wrote (last night) about a family's misadventures in the Grand Canyon! (Wonder where he got that idea?!) Anyway, I asked Harrison to read half a page of what he'd written, but his story had so much suspense we made him read till the end of what he'd done... a page-and-a-half. I really like his characters and his setting, but I suggested Harrison do some research in order to add a little more DETAIL. And I thought he might try adding some DIALOGUE to his story, too. Dialogue adds DRAMA (that's why plays are basically all dialogue).

We had a second reading, too, this one by Madison and Victoria, who'd worked on their own first chapter of a story. Theirs has lots of dialogue (good work, girls!), but interestingly, it has a little TOO MUCH detail. I was explaining to the students how earlier this week, a photographer friend of mine, told another class how anything that does not belong in a photo DETRACTS from the photo. The same rule applies to writing. If a room has a stripe on a wall, only tell us if it MATTERS, if it TIES INTO YOUR STORY. Madison and Victoria, I hope you'll continue with your story, too. I'm really curious to know more about how the dad's situation affects the other family members.

After lunch, I worked with two lovely groups: Miss Kim's Grade 6's, and then Mrs. B's Grade 5's. A student named "Cat" (cool name, no? it's short for Catriona, which is also a cool name!) agreed to take notes for all the others. One of her classmates, Lorenzo, told me a story that made my arms tingle (that happens when I hear a great story!). His great-grandfather (after whom Lorenzo is named), who lived in Italy, was a prisoner during World War II. Every day that he was held prisoner, his captors pulled one of his teeth. It's such a terrible shocking detail, but one that I will never ever forget. We writers really need to select details that help us tell our stories -- and that will make our stories part of our readers' lives.

I thought Mrs. B's Grade 6's might get a little antsy. It was Friday and the last class of the week -- but you guys were super wonderful, and I thank you for being so attentive and fun. Thanks to everyone at Forest Hill Senior, especially Maria Cavaiuolo. I'm excited that you guys have posted so many comments on yesterday's blog entry. Tomorrow, I'll make some time to begin answering your many good questions! Look for my answers in the comment section of these blog entries!

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Comments

Guest - juliette on Friday, 02 December 2011 16:28

Hi, Monique I enjoyed you coming to my school!!!!!;D

Hi, Monique I enjoyed you coming to my school!!!!!;D
Guest - Ruby on Saturday, 03 December 2011 12:47

Monique,

You have enspired me so much.I've always wanted to be an author and a teacher.You have proved that it's possible.You taught me so much about being an author.There's so much more than just a story,there's trouble,truth and research.I can't wait to read your books.Thank you for visiting our school.

Ruby

Monique, You have enspired me so much.I've always wanted to be an author and a teacher.You have proved that it's possible.You taught me so much about being an author.There's so much more than just a story,there's trouble,truth and research.I can't wait to read your books.Thank you for visiting our school. Ruby
Guest - Ruby on Saturday, 03 December 2011 13:01

Monique,

You came to my school on friday.When I got home I decided to write a book.I stayed up until 1:30 in the morning writing.My books called The Last Book.I hope my friends and family like it.Thanks for everything!

Ruby

Monique, You came to my school on friday.When I got home I decided to write a book.I stayed up until 1:30 in the morning writing.My books called The Last Book.I hope my friends and family like it.Thanks for everything! Ruby
Guest - EMILY on Saturday, 03 December 2011 14:27

Dear Monique,
you are a great Author and a great persone!! you really inspired me to write and I just started a book called My Very Own
Thank you sooo sooo much for visiting my school!!!!!!
PS: will you come back to our school????!!!
Emily

Dear Monique, you are a great Author and a great persone!!:) you really inspired me to write and I just started a book called My Very Own :) Thank you sooo sooo much for visiting my school!!!!!! PS: will you come back to our school????!!! Emily
Guest - Ruby on Sunday, 04 December 2011 18:18

Hope fully you'll be back to our school this year because it's our last year at forest hill. Your a great author.

Ruby

Hope fully you'll be back to our school this year because it's our last year at forest hill. Your a great author. Ruby
Guest - EMILY on Monday, 05 December 2011 16:59

Its not my last year;D Monique you are a great person!!!!!:P

what inspired you to write????

Emily

Its not my last year;D Monique you are a great person!!!!!:P what inspired you to write???? Emily :)
Guest - EMILY on Monday, 05 December 2011 16:59

still one more year!!!!

still one more year!!!!;)
Guest - Katelynn on Tuesday, 06 December 2011 16:07

Hi Monique you came to our school on Friday. I really enjoyed your visit. You really inspired me very much. Know I think I might want to be an author. I hope you come back to our school this year. Thank you so much!

Hi Monique you came to our school on Friday. I really enjoyed your visit. You really inspired me very much. Know I think I might want to be an author. I hope you come back to our school this year. :) Thank you so much!
Guest - EMILY on Friday, 09 December 2011 13:51

Merry Christmas Monique and everybody else!!!!;D Monique I think you should write a Christmas Book!!!!

Merry Christmas Monique and everybody else!!!!;D Monique I think you should write a Christmas Book!!!!
Guest - EMILY on Sunday, 11 December 2011 10:49

Have you started a new book??

Have you started a new book??
Guest - Monique P on Sunday, 18 December 2011 19:39

Hi Ruby, Emily, Katelynn and Mackenzie,
I see you posted some new comments since I last replied here. How great to "hear" your voices! I'm going to answer your questions here. Emily, you asked what inspired me to write. THAT'S A HARD QUESTION! I think the answer is just that I love stories so much. So it's the great stories I hear around me that make me want to write. I also think it'd be great to write a Christmas book -- I am very interested in Christmas. As for starting a new book, I am RE-WRITING a book now. I hope to be finished the re-write by the middle of January, and then, I want to start a new one. I don't think I can live without working on a book!! Mackenzie, you asked about my favourite book. It's Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Have you guys read it? Have a great Christmas and thanks so much for staying in touch. I love it!

Hi Ruby, Emily, Katelynn and Mackenzie, I see you posted some new comments since I last replied here. How great to "hear" your voices! I'm going to answer your questions here. Emily, you asked what inspired me to write. THAT'S A HARD QUESTION! I think the answer is just that I love stories so much. So it's the great stories I hear around me that make me want to write. I also think it'd be great to write a Christmas book -- I am very interested in Christmas. As for starting a new book, I am RE-WRITING a book now. I hope to be finished the re-write by the middle of January, and then, I want to start a new one. I don't think I can live without working on a book!! Mackenzie, you asked about my favourite book. It's Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Have you guys read it? Have a great Christmas and thanks so much for staying in touch. I love it!
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