Award-Winning Author Inspires White Pines Students to Read, Create, and Follow Their Dreams

Students at White Pines Intermediate School had a special opportunity on November 5 to meet award-winning children's author and illustrator Philip C. Stead, who shared his journey from a young aspiring artist to a successful author, encouraging students to discover a love of reading, explore their creativity, and pursue their dreams.

The visit was part of a community effort to encourage a lifelong love of reading, made possible through partnerships with Loutit District Library and The Bookman. Leading up to the event, some White Pines classes read Stead's latest book, A Potion, a Powder, a Little Bit of Magic OR Like Lightning in an Umbrella Storm: A Story Out of Order, while Loutit District Library hosted two book clubs for fifth-grade readers in the White Pines library. The Bookman also helped coordinate the author visit and made hardcover copies available to families at a discounted price.

Students had the opportunity to receive signed copies of the book and hear directly from Stead during separate presentations for fifth and sixth graders. The day also included an evening meet-and-greet at The Bookman, extending the celebration of reading into the community.

From a Childhood Dream to an Award-Winning Career

During his presentations, Stead shared that he didn't originally dream of becoming an author. Instead, he wanted to be an artist. Inspired by his high school art teacher, he began considering a career illustrating children's books when he was just 15 years old.

Stead went on to attend the University of Michigan, and his love of art eventually led him to writing, largely because he wanted to create stories he could illustrate himself. Today, he is known for his imaginative storytelling and unique illustrations, which often combine crayons, watercolor, collage, and other hands-on artistic techniques.

Throughout his presentation, Stead encouraged students to embrace creativity and not be afraid of making mistakes. He explained that artists and writers become skilled at learning from mistakes, sharing that he still begins his stories by writing them by hand so he doesn't feel pressured to make every word perfect.

Finding Inspiration One Page at a Time

Stead also shared how his childhood love of books inspired him to take on a new challenge: writing a novel. Following advice from another author, he began writing just 200 words at a time, gradually building a story and discovering his own writing style along the way.

He explained that some authors carefully plan their stories in advance, while others write by the seat of their pants. Stead discovered he fell into the latter group, allowing his story to develop as he wrote.

When early feedback suggested his story took too long to reach the action, he decided to move an action-packed chapter to the beginning. That creative decision helped shape the unusual structure of A Potion, a Powder, a Little Bit of Magic, a story that challenges readers to think differently about beginnings, endings, and the possibilities of storytelling.

A Community Celebration of Reading

For White Pines students, the visit was more than an opportunity to meet a published author. It was a chance to connect the books they had been reading with the person who created them, ask questions, and see how childhood interests can grow into lifelong passions.

Thanks to the collaboration between White Pines, Loutit District Library, and The Bookman, students experienced firsthand how schools and community partners can work together to make reading exciting and meaningful.

Stead's story also served as a reminder that everyone starts somewhere, and that a love of reading, a willingness to try new things, and encouragement from others can help students discover and pursue their own dreams.