Students prepared by reading his books. They were eager to hear about Mr. Armistead, how he gets his ideas, how he writes his books and how long it takes.

Said Mr. Armistead, “I am a Mississippi author, painter of landscapes and portraits, journalist and a Presbyterian and Baptist minister. I became a writer because I loved stories and imagined stories all of my life.” 

The visit was organized as part of Milkweed’s Alliance for Reading Program. Since 1995 Milkweed has partnered with schools and community organizations to get kids excited about reading and writing. In addition to author visits, Milkweed provides classroom sets of books, web or Skype chats with authors, book clubs, “Read, Explore, Create” programs, and curriculum guides for teachers on using Milkweed books. For information visit milkweed.org.