Author Events Author-In-Schools Contact: Peachtree Publishers Kenyette Kilpatrick kenyette@ 404-876-8761 ext. 111 Professional Development Contact: Heinemann Publishers Angela Dion angela.dion@ 800-541-2086 ext. 1117  Here's Lester in 1960. How old was he then? Do you wonder what he is thinking? Lester grew up in Heflin, Alabama, a small town located about half-way between Birmingham and Atlanta. He is one of three children. His brother, Scott is 2 years older and his sister, Amanda is 10 years younger. The family moved to Zachary, LA where Lester attended part of 1st and all of 2nd grade. Then they returned to Heflin and lived there until Lester was in 5th grade when they moved to Key West, FL. Lester finished school back in Heflin and then earned a BS and MS in Elementary Education from Jacksonville State University, Jacksonville, AL and an EdD in Elementary Education and Reading from Auburn University, Auburn AL. Now Lester lives in Asheville, North Carolina  Hey! That's Lester's 3rd grade photo. What year was that?  Lester (on the left) with siblings, Amanda and Scott. December 1966 when the family was living in Key West, Florida.  Here's Lester in 1971. He was 15 then. How old is he now? |
 Lester L. Laminack at home with his collection of children's books  Lester signing books in Dublin,OH March 2008  Lester working at his desk in 2006 Lester L. Laminack, a full-time writer and consultant working with schools throughout the United States, is Professor Emeritus with department of Birth-Kindergarten, Elementary and Middle Grades Education, at Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, North Carolina where he received two prestigious awards for excellence in teaching (the Botner Superior Teaching Award and the Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching Award). Lester is an active member of the National Council of Teachers of English and served three years as co-editor of the NCTE journal Primary Voices. He also served as a teaching editor for the magazine Teaching K-8 and wrote the Parent Connection column (2000-2002). He is currently editor of the Children’s Book Review Department of the NCTE journal Language Arts (2003-2006). He is a former member of the Whole Language Umbrella Governing Board, a former member of the Governing Board and Secretary of the North Carolina Association for the Education of Young Children, and a former member of the Board of Directors for the Center for the Expansion of Language and Thinking. He served as the Basic Reading Consultant to Literacy Volunteers of America from 1987 through 2001. His publications include several academic books such as Learning with Zachary (Scholastic), Spelling in Use (NCTE), Volunteers Working with Young Readers (NCTE), his contributions to The Writing Workshop: Working Through the Hard Parts(NCTE) and two new books with Heinemann, Learning Under the Influence of Language and Literature scheduled for publication in February 2006 and Building Bridges Across the Curriculum with Picture Books and Read Alouds which is scheduled for Fall 2006. In addition, he has several articles published in journals such as The Reading Teacher, Science and Children, Language Arts, Primary Voices, and Young Children. Lester is also the author of four children’s books: The Sunsets of Miss Olivia Wiggins, Trevor’s Wiggly-Wobbly Tooth, Saturdays and Teacakes and Jake’s 100th Day of School (December 2005) Also look for the forthcoming title, I Need A Snow Day! all of which are published by Peachtree Publishers, Ltd. A note from Lester: "I want to make my time on this globe meaningful, to give back and pay forward. I believe that when one lives by this rule: IN ALL THINGS BE KIND AND TRUTHFUL, your existence is generally positive, your joys outweigh your sorrows, your pleasures overshadow your pain. I strive to live this way." |
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