Hanna Cha, Caldecott Honor Award-winning illustrator and author, visited the Baker School on March 6th. During her visit, Ms. Cha met with first, second, and third-grade students and educators. She shared her process for illustrating, explained how she draws inspiration from her life experiences, and discussed how she decides what to write about. She emphasized the importance of discovering one’s voice and the valuable lessons learned from making mistakes.

The visit was made possible by an Idea Lab grant, which was applied for by Baker School educators Katie Wang, Sara Zekri, and Katlin Fenn Bixby this past fall. These dedicated teachers wanted to provide young readers at Baker School the opportunity to hear from an author who shares many of the same experiences they are going through. As Ms. Cha spoke about her childhood and the places that inspired her books, the students responded with excitement, saying things like, “I know that place, I lived there too!” or “I’ve been there!”

This Idea Lab grant was funded by the Todd Saker Fund, a 21-year-old initiative established by Linda and Wayne Saker in memory of their son Todd, a former Baker School student and avid reader. The fund continues to support the students of the Public Schools of Brookline today.