Sharon Jennings is the library's new Writer in Residence
By Bill Rea

Kelley England, manager of children's and young adult service for the library, presented this sign reading "The Writer is in," to Jennings as Deputy Chief Librarian Sharon Bentley looked on.

Sharon Jennings has always loved to read and write, and now she has the best of both worlds in her new position.

Jennings, 53, is the new Writer in Residence for the King Township Public Library system.

In addition to conducting school visits throughout the township to talk to youngsters about writing, the Toronto resident will be setting up shop in different branches every Wednesday evening from 6 until 8 p.m. to assist aspiring writers, young and old.

"I will go over the manuscripts and try to help them out," she said. "Hopefully, I'll be busy."

She added the idea behind the program is to encourage the use of libraries, as well as to motivate people to start that story they always wanted to write.

Jennings said she teaches writing for children at Ryerson University, in which she reviews manuscripts, but she has not done something quite like this before.

She is the author of a number of picture and chapter books for children, including more than 40 titles in the Franklin the Turtle series. Her other titles include Into My Mother's Arms, No Monsters Here and When You Get a Baby.

Sharon Jennings was reading some of her works to children at last Wednesday's reception.

The program, which has been made possible through a Ministry of Culture grant, was officially launched last Wednesday at the King City branch.

Deputy Chief Librarian Sharon Bentley confessed when she was young, she didn't pay a lot of attention to who wrote the books she was reading, but she has since learned that's an important component.

"The books on the written page actually lived in someone's imagination at one time," she observed.

Bentley said the beauty of the program is brings together author and reader, and let the youngsters know some of the characters in their minds could eventually be in the pages of a book.

"Today is really about the magic of libraries," commented CEO and Chief Librarian Murray McCabe. "Having Sharon here is just part of that magic."

Sharon Jennings was reading some of her works to children at last Wednesday's reception.

"I am a reader," Jennings told the crowd at the reception. "I love to read. I also love to write."

She recalled her mother reading to her, but she felt frustrated about having to wait for someone to be free, so she learned to read as soon as she could. She also remembered spending entire weekends just reading. As well, her childhood included making up stories in her head, and writing poems as birthday gifts.

In her writing for children, Jennings said she never tries to include a message. The point is to give the young readers a sense that they can cope with childhood.

"The first thing is a really good story," she said. "If there's a message in there, it must be part of the story."

She added a publisher is not likely to touch a story that is intended to convey a message. "A child will know they're being spoon-fed," she said.

Jennings is scheduled to be at the King City Library tonight (Wednesday) from 6 until 8 p.m., and again Feb. 7, 14, 21 and 28. She will be at the Nobleton branch every Wednesday evening in March, and Schomberg every Wednesday in April.