Field Trip Reflection!

 Field Trip Reflections!

Part One: My Experience

Getting there was quite easy! Even though it was pouring pretty hard, we did all our waiting under roof at the station entrance area the and we were on the skytrain for most of the trip. When we got to Granville Station, we realized  the wait for the bus was too long, so we took an Uber straight to the island Market! The first sign i saw for this festival was this one above. It was so cool to look around and see different signs that promoted the writer's festival.

We had some time to kill before our first event, so we decided to look around the market! This was my first time going in there and seeing all the cool food shops was amazing. Eden and I tried so many different flavors of pickles (I didn't even know you could make a pickle into that many flavors) and we even got to try different cheeses. I ended up buying a scone from Stuart's Bakery, and it was GIANT! 

 When it came time go to the first event in the Performance Works theatre at 10:15 AM, we sat down in our seats, which were in a really good spot (pretty close to the front). The moderator, Ms. PJ's friend Robert, was so effortlessly funny and the way he guided the whole conversation between the three authors was so entertaining. I love how the three authors talked about each of their new books so passionately and how happy they sounded when they read excerpts from their books.

There was also a Q&A session with the audience afterwards and so many students stood up because they were curious. I tried really hard to think of a good question to ask them, but I wasn't nearly as creative as the other little kids. At the very end of the event, we got up and went to the table where they were selling the books they discussed. We got all three and went to go get them signed. The authors were so sweet in person and they gave us some nice writing advice, such as how to get over writers block. (Joel A. Sutherland said it would be a great idea to go on a walk and take your mind off of your work for a while)

Afterwards, we headed to the bookshop where they were having the event book sale. I looked around for a while because I wanted to choose the most interesting books for the library and after a while, I decided on VenCo by Cherie Dimaline. After I picked it up, I realized that this book was written by the author we were about to see, so that was exciting. They had so many good options and most of them were new releases.

After that, we went back to the market for lunch, but this time, it was so much more crowded with students from other schools. I bought a lemonade and finished my giant scone. We also tried more pickles and cheese 😋. Eden went home because she wasn't feeling well, so just Ms.PJ and I went to our second event. This one was definitely my favorite out of the two because Cherie Dimaline and Jen Ferguson were so insightful and hilarious. They talked all about their life experiences, what inspired them to start writing, and why they wrote their books. After the event was when the fun started. We bought the books they discussed and lined up to get them signed. When I got to Jen's table, she was such a fun person and her cat dress and pink glasses were even cooler up close. She signed "Those Pink Mountain nights" and even had cool holographic stickers to give out. Before we got to Cherie, the guy in front of us talked to her and they both realized that they helped each so much and they gave each other a hug. He even started crying and it was such a heartwarming moment to witness. Then, she signed my book and VenCo also. We took some photos with the authors and thanked them. 

Afterwards, we took the skytrain home, each carrying a super heavy bag full of books. They were heavy, but totally worth it. Overall, this field trip was such a fun experience and getting to meet the authors and talk to them would be a memory that I remember for a long time.

Part 2: The books I chose and Why:

VenCo by Cherie Dimaline

I picked this book up in the bookstore because the cover reminded me of the Halloween season and I felt like we needed more spooky books in our library. I realized after I read the description and looked at the cover page more that this was the author we were about to go see and that made me want to buy it even more. I knew that she wrote The Marrow Thieves, which was a very very well-known book, so I know this one had to be even better.

Into the Bright Open by Cherie Dimaline

After hearing about Cherie talk about why she decided to re-imagine the "Secret Garden" and write a novel with it was so interesting because she pointed out all the things she knew she was going to change. I am always very interested when authors "retell" older stories because it adds a more modern perspective to it. It's also interesting that we have the original Secret Garden in our library and now, Cherie's version, because students can read both versions and compare them.

Those Pink Mountain Nights by Jen Ferguson

The way Jen pitched her book was also so interesting. I like how the three characters in her book are relatable teens, each going through their own problems. I also think the mystery aspect of their friend going missing and the topics that get discussed in this story would be so important for high school students to read about.

Black Feathers by Robert J. Wiersema

When I read this description in the bookstore, I knew I wanted to get it because it was a thriller set in Victoria, which is one of my favorite cities. I felt like we needed more thrillers in our library, and it was also an added plus that it was written by one of Ms. PJ's friends.