Local Authors Visit Davidsonville Elementary

Local writer’s Valerie Ormond and Jennifer Ginn were recently selected as honored guests at Davidsonville Elementary’s Author’s Day.

Held annually, this event promotes the importance of reading and writing by asking national and local writers to speak with the students about their literary experiences.

Valerie Ormond is the author of “Believing in Horses.” This is a debut novel for Ormond who grew up in Bowie.

DES Principal Hofstetter introduces Valerie Ormond, author of "Believing in Horses." Photo courtesy of Melanie Quinn.

This fictional book details the story of a pre-teen whose father is deployed to Afghanistan. Her parents promise to buy her a horse as a ‘reward’ for being so understanding about the many military moves the family has experienced including the one to Maryland.

When shopping for a horse, Ormond’s character discovers the dark world of horse auctions and decides to help save 10 from the slaughter house.

Ormond reached out to locally-based Freedom Hill Horse Rescue  to fully understand the issue of neglected, abused and unwanted horses. In addition, the book’s setting and characters are based on folks that work and run Loftmar Stables in Bowie. A portion of the book’s proceeds go to Freedom Hill.

At DES’ Author’s Day, Ormond and her brother Eddy, a former teacher who lives in Churchton, spoke with fourth and fifth grade students about the book and presented the school with a copy of their newly printed Teacher’s Tack for Believing In Horses curriculum.

“The greatest joy about publishing this book is speaking with the kids,” said Ormond.

Author Jennifer Ginn reads her debut children's book "Lobsters on the Loose" to DES students. Photo courtesy of Melanie Quinn.

Jennifer Ginn is the author of the colorful children’s book  “Lobster’s on the Loose.” The book portrays the brave efforts of a young boy who helps lobsters escape from a grocery store’s seafood tank. The lobsters embark on a fun-filled adventure that leads them back to the sea and ends with a celebration for the boy who saved them.

This is a debut book for Ginn who lives in Crofton. At the DES Author’s Day, Ginn read her book to kindergarten, first, second and third graders. Further, Ginn offered the students tips and suggestions on how to take a creative idea and turn it into a book.

“I want kids to be inspired to use their imagination and express their ideas through the written word,” said Ginn. “It’s fun to see the kids’ faces light up as they listen to my book and to realize that one day they too could be authors.”

Melanie Quinn is the DES Author’s Day chair. Quinn said that this year, she looked specifically for local authors to speak to the students.

“At DES it’s important to support local writers and local causes,” said Quinn.

Over the years, several authors have presented at  Davidsonville Elementary including Priscilla Cummings, Chadwick the Crab; Janie Suss, Oscar and Olive Osprey; Bill Martin Jr., Chika Chicka Boom Boom; Jennifer Keats Curtis, Turtles in my Sandbox; and Cheryl and Peter Barnes, Maestro Mouse and the Mystery of the Missing Baton, and among others.