Mt. Lebanon hosts National Ambassador for Youth Literature celebrating popular book series
Harry Funk / Staff Kate DiCamillo shares a laugh with a Jefferson Elementary School student.
Harry Funk / Staff Kate DiCamillo appeared internationally by videoconference from the library of Jefferson Elementary School in Mt. Lebanon.
Harry Funk / Staff Kate DiCamillo greets Wilbur the pig, from Barnyard Petting Zoo in Somerset Township, Washington County.
Harry Funk / Staff Kate DiCamillo greets Wilbur the pig, from Barnyard Petting Zoo in Somerset Township, Washington County.
Harry Funk / Staff Kate DiCamillo greets Wilbur the pig, from Barnyard Petting Zoo in Somerset Township, Washington County.
Harry Funk / Staff Mindy Ivcic of Barnyard Petting Zoo holds Wilbur.
Harry Funk / Staff Eryn Morgan, right, Kids & Teens Program director at Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures, fielded questions for Kate DiCamillo to answer.
Harry Funk / Staff Kate DiCamillo greets a Jefferson Elementary School student.
Harry Funk / Staff Jefferson Elementary School students listen to Kate DiCamillo.
Harry Funk / Staff Jefferson Elementary School students listen to Kate DiCamillo.
Harry Funk / Staff Jefferson Elementary School students listen to Kate DiCamillo.
Harry Funk / Staff Kate DeCamillo speaks to students in the Jefferson Elementary School auditorium following her videoconference from the library.
Ten years ago, youngsters started reading about a pig named Mercy Watson and her perpetual pursuit of buttered toast.
To celebrate a decade of what has become a popular and acclaimed series of children’s books, author Kate DiCamillo visited with students in schools all over the world, via an Oct. 15 videoconference originating from Jefferson Elementary School in Mt. Lebanon.
Following a morning appearance in Marshall Township, DiCamillo arrived at Jefferson to begin the videoconference promptly at 1 p.m. In an entertaining and often irreverent manner, she answered questions from students in Mt. Lebanon and beyond about herself, Mercy Watson and other characters in her books.
For example, why would a pig want to eat buttered toast?
Well, she explained, a friend was eating that particular piece of food and sprinkling crumbs all over DiCamillo’s new car. Instead of getting mad, she got inspiration.
And why pick a pig as protagonist?
“There is something inherently funny with a pig,” she said. “Any literature you think of, if you put a pig in it, it’s funny.”
Speaking of pigs, Mindy Ivcic from Barnyard Petting Zoo in Washington Country brought a pair named Wilbur and Charlotte – now, that’s appropriate for a children’s book author! – to meet DiCamillo.
“I do not have a pig,” she said as she petted Wilbur, the more agreeable of the two. “I have a part-time dog who sometimes acts like a pig.”
By “part-time,” she explained that she shares it with a neighbor when she’s on one of her frequent road trips away from her Minneapolis home, such as the one that brought her to the Pittsburgh area. Her stay in town also included an evening Kids & Teens program at Heinz Hall, presented by Pittsburgh Arts & Lectures with sponsorship by the Allegheny County Library Association, Western Pennsylvania Humane Society and Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh.
DiCamillo is serving a two-year term as National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, as named by the Librarian of Congress. She has won two Newbery Medals, presented by the Association for Library Service to Children, for her novels “The Tale of Despereaux” (2004) and “Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures” (2014).
She has another novel in the works, she said, and as for the future of everyone’s favorite toast-eating pig:
“There are some more Mercy things on the way, yes,” she told the students. “I’m not going to tell you what they are.”
Judging by their overall interest in DiCamillo’s work, they’ll be eager to find out for themselves.