![Scott Ward, illustrator, with Kizzie Jones and the poster display for](/uploads/3/4/4/3/34439520/published/scott-ward-kizzie-jones-with-poster_1.jpg?1555927490)
![](/uploads/3/4/4/3/34439520/editor/award-program-front_1.jpg?1555942727)
The students were the winners—both outstanding and honorable mention—for the posters they created to represent their favorite book. Such a buzz of excitement and anticipation as students and their families took their seats.
![](/uploads/3/4/4/3/34439520/award-program-back_orig.jpg)
![3rd graders listening to Kizzie Jones and Scott Ward tell about their books.](/uploads/3/4/4/3/34439520/kids-at-reading-awards-program_orig.jpg)
![Story boards for Kizzie Jones' Tall Tales children's books, drawn by Scott Ward, illustrator.](/uploads/3/4/4/3/34439520/editor/scott-ward-picture-boards-for-kizzie-jones-books.jpg?1555886048)
| Scott Ward, illustrator, explains the image-making process to fascinated third graders. |
![Kizzie Jones, author, and Scott Ward, illustrator, tell 3rd graders how books are made.](/uploads/3/4/4/3/34439520/published/kizzie-jones-scott-ward-tell-kids-about-books.jpg?1555885635)
Scott Ward, illustrator, tells the third graders about the backstory of making the books. | |
![Kizzie Jones reading from her Tall Tales #2 book, with Scott Ward, illustrator](/uploads/3/4/4/3/34439520/published/kizzie-jones-reading-her-book.jpg?1555897925)
A student asked, “How do you get your stories?”
I said, “From life.” I then shared the backstory for the Dachshund and Pelican story. How I’d fallen in love with pelicans in Mexico and felt compelled to find a way to connect dachshunds and pelicans.
Another student asked, “How long does it take you to write a story?”
I said, “Much time is spent thinking about the idea. Slowly it unfolds in my mind and I can write a rough draft in a couple days. But then it can take months of rereading aloud and rewriting until the final draft is complete. My third TALL TALE took about 17 drafts until I finally knew it was done.”
My big surprise was how student after student had suggestions for me for my next book, which was quite amazing, as I had just informed them this was a set of three TALL TALES and I did not expect to write any more. This thought did not faze them one bit! Very politely, but with great enthusiasm, I heard, “May I make a suggestion?”
I said, “Of course.”
Different students said, “You should write your next TALL TALE about: a dachshund and a river otter in a lake, a dachshund and a unicorn, a dachshund and an alligator, a dachshund and a cat!”
I replied, “I should have met with you years ago!
![Laurie Rose, Arts Programs/Conference Coordinator, with Kizzie Jones author, Scott Ward illustrator, and posters from the contest.](/uploads/3/4/4/3/34439520/editor/laurie-rose-scott-ward-and-kizzie-jones-with-winning-posters.jpg?1555887859)