ALABASTER- Meadow View Elementary School students gathered in the school’s media center to meet with well-known children’s author and illustrator Eileen Christelow on Tuesday, March 7. According to Librarian Christina Tomlin, the school specifically requested Christelow’s visit because of how popular her books are among the students.

“She flew in all the way from Vermont yesterday to see our school in Alabaster,” Tomlin said. “She wrote the ‘Five Little Monkeys’ series, which is really popular. It’s so cool, because the kids get to meet a real author who has published and illustrated books.”

Christelow spoke with the students about how she got started as an author and illustrator and where she gathered inspiration for her books. She also shared advice to students who want to start writing and illustrating and drew pictures.

“We talked about all the books they have been reading, how to get published, where I get all my ideas and how I illustrate,” Christelow said. “I get a lot of my ideas from the things that happen around me. A lot of my dog stories are about things that my dog actually did.”

Tomlin said meeting Christelow felt like meeting a celebrity for several kids.

“The kids were really excited. I’ve been reading the books to the kids during their library classes, and I’ve been introducing who Eileen Christelow is and what she does,” Tomlin said. “Now that they know who she is, they’re so excited.”

Christelow said she hoped her visit encouraged kids to spend more time reading and less time watching television.

“I hope that they’re going to get more enthusiastic about reading. Reading is unbelievably important. Reading is where you get ideas,” Christelow said. “Watching TV is great, but books can do so much more.”

The school also sold several of Christelow’s books, and students had the opportunity to have their books autographed.

Christelow has written and illustrated over 15 books. Her newest book, “Robins! How They Grow Up,” recently became available in the MVES Media Center.

Tomlin said she initially booked Christelow for a visit in August 2016, and thanked the MVES and the Parent Teacher Organization for their help in hosting Christelow.

“I’m just super excited about having a school and a PTO that supports author visits. These visits can be very expensive, and they’ve been very supportive,” Tomlin said.