Graphic novelist Sylvie Kantorovitz spent a day at Bethlehem Central Middle School last week. Kantorovitz shared her experiences as a child who emigrated from Morocco to France. She detailed the challenges her family endured living in a foreign country as well as the joy and triumphs they experienced.

Kantorovitz’s talk was based on her graphic novel, “Sylvie”, a coming-of-age memoir that details how a young artist finds her path apart from the expectations of those around her. Kantorovitz also shared the details of how she landed her first job as an illustrator for Raffi’s “Wheels on the Bus” board book and what that moment meant to her. 

Students also received a mini-lesson on illustrating a graphic novel. Kantorovitz detailed how, especially in a graphic novel, a lot of the story is told through illustrations. Students were challenged to think about what elements should be added to a drawing to communicate details like life, speed, and emotion. The students were encouraged to create illustrations of their own during the presentation. 

Thank you to Sylvie Kantorovitz for the engaging presentation, and to BCMS Library Media Specialist Silvia Lilly for organizing this special event!