The Santa Barbara County Education Office’s (SBCEO) 56th annual Author-Go-Round recently brought together more than 350 students in grades five through eight from schools across Santa Barbara County.

Participants had the opportunity to meet with and learn from authors and illustrators of children’s and young adult books, including:

• Joan Bransfield Graham
• James Buckley Jr.
• Kathleen Contreras
• Rebecca Langston-George
• John Parra
• Sherry Shahan
• Wendelin Van Draanen
• Lee Wardlaw

Following presentations by each author, students broke into small groups where they met with the writers to discuss and understand their craft and the creative process.

“The authors have inspired me to keep on following my dreams of becoming a poet and to keep trying new things,” said a student from Mountain View Elementary in the Goleta Union School District. “They have reminded me that it doesn’t matter where you start, you just need to start somewhere.”

“Author-Go-Round gives students an opportunity to meet the people behind the books and illustrations they love and build meaningful connections to reading and writing,” said county Superintendent of Schools Susan Salcido.

“We thank the authors who generously share their time and talent, and help make the event a special and inspirational day for students across Santa Barbara County,” she said.

Participating students came from the Buellton, College, Goleta, Hope, Lompoc, Orcutt, Santa Barbara Unified, Santa Maria-Bonita and Solvang school districts, as well as Manzanita, Orcutt Academy and Santa Barbara charter schools.

To close the event, a few lucky raffle winners received signed books and posters.

The South Coast author event was Jan. 22-23 at the Santa Barbara County Education Office auditorium in Santa Barbara.

For North County students, SBCEO hosted the Author-Go-Around Jan. 29-30 at the Abel Maldonado Community Youth Center in Santa Maria.