Assistance League of Glendale visited Dunsmore Elementary School on Monday, Nov. 10 to bring the Authors and Illustrators (A&I) program. The Assistance League hires the author and/or illustrator to visit the classrooms to encourage students to read, write and create pictures.

Visiting authors were Molly Ruttan who presented her book “Something Wild” for the kindergartens. David Shannon presented his books about David to the first and second grades. Larissa Theule presented her books, including “Kafka and the Doll,” for the third and fourth grades.The upper grade author, Karina Evans, will present on Dec. 1 as she found herself with COVID on the morning of Nov. 10 and had to postpone.

The presentations are always captivating and the authors go the “extra mile” to entertain and motivate the students. Ruttan brought her violin and encouraged the students to create their art with music. Her drawings were donated to the classes. Thirty eight of the various authors’ books were donated to the library for students to check out, plus Assistance League of Glendale gave $2500 to the school library to buy whatever books it needs.

The Assistance League of Glendale visits four schools a year; it takes several years to visit all the schools in the Glendale Unified School District. The next school to visit will be to Marshall Elementary School on Dec. 16.

Funds come from community donations to the Assistance League of Glendale’s Thrift Alley, a thrift shop located at 314 E. Harvard St. It’s open Wednesday thru Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.