Each year, the Parents’ Association Book Fair Committee, chaired by Sam Regan and Katy Williamson, invites authors to visit our students in anticipation of the Book Fair. On October 6, we welcomed author Daryl Cobb to present during two assemblies—one for the Primary Division, and another for the Lower Division. Daryl Cobb is an author, storyteller, musician, and performer who promotes literacy through creative arts. His published works include the children’s novels, Pirates: Monkey Troubles, Baseball, Bullies & Angels and Pirates: The Ring of Hope, as well as picture books such as Mr. Moon, Bill the Bat Loves Halloween, Do Pirates Go to School?, and Greta’s Magical Mistake.
Cobb welcomed the students into the Performing Arts Center with an original song, singing and strumming the guitar as they took their seats. Immediately, they knew this wasn’t going to be like any other author assembly. There was a sense of anticipation as the students wondered just what kind of books Cobb would be sharing with them that morning. Once he finished the song, Cobb explained that his path to becoming an author began with songwriting, developing many of his picture books with rhyme scheme and rhythm to tell a story. He read aloud from Boy on a Hill, about a boy who turns clouds into animals, while students and their teachers clapped along to the beat. (You can hear a portion of his performance of Boy on a Hill in Season 5, Episode 6 of Gator Gab.)
For the Lower Division, Cobb also performed a chapter from Baseball, Bullies, & Angels. He told the students that he was once a kid with ADHD himself, and what he loved most as a child was playing baseball. In his book Baseball, Bullies, and Angels, the main character Stephen is one of the best baseball players in the school. But he struggles socially and is bullied by another group of kids. As he acted out a gripping baseball game, Cobb explained to the students that much of his writing is inspired by his own life, but embellished to create an interesting story, with a message that he could have used when he was younger. For Baseball, Bullies, & Angels, the message is to not stoop to others’ level, and “stay diplomatic.”
Cobb also hosted a readers’ theatre for his picture book Do Pirates Go to School?, starring Yellow Cluster student Joel H., while Ms. Nick, Ms. De Lancy, and Ms. Bergeron read aloud. Joel acted out scenes from the book, such as putting on pirate boots, jumping up on a bed, and getting ready for pirate school. He even had a pirate duel with Cobb to get the crowd laughing and jumping in their seats when Joel came out victorious!
As the laughter died down, Cobb left Gaynor students with a final phrase—reading is an adventure. Reading gives you the ability to wrestle crocodiles, play the defining baseball game of your life, and even go to pirate school, all from the comfort of your room. It truly felt like he took the students on an adventure during these assemblies, and we are thankful to the PA Book Fair Committee for bringing Cobb’s talent and thrilling performance to Gaynor.
